Forgive Us Our Sins
by Emsta
Summary: The gang at Kilarny, Wilgul and Drovers' Run have all gotten together to celebrate Bom's seventh birthday. And elsewhere, a woman named Natalie looks at her daughter and makes a big decision. Short Chaps, reviews loved..
1. Prologue

Forgive Us Our Sins 

**Disclaimer:** Well, I own not the rights to the TV show McLeod's Daughters. Nor do I own the rights to the song _Happy Birthday_ (yes, someone does own the rights to them. They are still under copyright!). I currently own the rights to the characters of Tom and Michelle. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it a bit of a cross-over fic. If that does happen, then I'll let you know.

**Summary:** The gang at Kilarny, Wilgul and Drovers' Run have all gotten together to celebrate Bom's seventh birthday. And elsewhere, a woman named Natalie looks at her daughter and makes a big decision.

* * *

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Charlotte, Happy Birthday to you." Bom stood in front of a large cake with seven candles on it. Everyone was standing around her, as she blew out the candles and made a wish.

* * *

A brown haired woman walked down the street, watching a small girl run from window to window, looking at the displays in each of the shop fronts. The girl must have been about six and the woman looked to be in her thirties. Years of caution compelled her to leave this busy place, but she fought it. There was no need to worry her daughter. One thing that she had striven for through the life of her small daughter was not to upset her peaceful, innocent life, and give her no idea of the pain of separation or the anxiety her mother suffered.

The woman glanced at her watch. It was almost twelve about lunchtime. And if she happened to run into Tom, it would just be a co-incidence.

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, I did just leave you with a chapter that is 175 words long. This is because I wanna know if you want me to run with it or not.

Do I continue? To tell me Yay or Nay so I can either finish writing the story or give up and write something else.


	2. Decisions Are Made

Decisions are Made 

**Disclaimer:** Well, I still don't own any of the characters (apart from Michelle and Tom).

**A/N:** Well, what can I say? If you don't understand after this chapter, it might be a while before you do, because I'm not in a habit of explaining my stories to great extent until it comes as part of the story, so hang around and wait, all will reveal itself in due course

**genevra**: Thanks for the review... thanks for making me laugh too!

**LiarEpicteller**: Impressive? i don't think i'd call it that good... but thanks anyway!

**Charmed-angel4**: I am continueing, glad you enjoyed

**meggie-moo-has-fun**: Yes, Letters will be finished, but not 100 sure when...didn't really realise anyone was still reading it, cos no-one reviewed

* * *

"You still love him don't you? After all this time you never stopped! God Natalie, it's been six years. Do you really think he'll be waiting for you?" Natalie and Michelle had in fact 'run' into Tom at Maccas. They were now watching Michelle as she was playing in the playground. 

"I know he might have moved on, but I have to know. I have to go back Tom I don't have a choice. I have to see my daughter. I have to know how she's doing and what she's like and I have to see my sister. There's no choice."

"What about Michelle? What about you're other daughter? What happens to her? For all these years whenever she's mentioned him, you've never told her anything. You told her he had moved away and that you didn't know where he was. How is she going to cope with all this?" 

"How's she going to cope? How am I going to cope? They all think I'm dead Tom. How are they going to feel when I walk through that door and they think that they're dreaming? How am I going to cope with the betrayal and hurt in their eyes? And what about Prue? What am I going to tell her? She's not even going to remember me. She's seven today Tom, seven! And all I'm going to be to her is a photograph that she looks at before she goes to sleep, if even that." Natalie was crying by now. "She wasn't even walking when I left, how do I explain to her why I went away? How I left her behind?"

Tom moved to comfort her, but she wouldn't be comforted. "You don't think I've thought through all this Tom? I can't count the nights I've stayed awake, trying to work out what will happen, what I'll say. I can't count the times I've found myself on the 'net about to book a plane and a bus home." She paused, to give make herself lower her voice, something else she had trained herself to do over all these years.

"And now you want me to forget all about it, after you told me that it might be possible to go back? That it might be safe for Michelle and I to return? Are you crazy? What do you want me to say Tom? 'Oh, Tom, how silly of me to want to return, I hadn't thought out the possibilities? Now that I think of them, how could I possibly go?' If that's what you want me to tell you, you're in for a big shock. Because the only time those words, or any words like those are going to come out of my mouth was just then." Tom tried to intervene, to cut off the rant that was about to come out of her mouth, but Natalie just barged ahead.

"Sure, it's nice to know you're trying to protect me, but I've had too many questions from Michelle about her dad, too much of missing the people that I love, too many sleepless nights without him and one too many missed birthdays and Christmas' to back out of this. The longer I put it off, the harder it's going to be for me, for Michelle and everyone else."

"If you're sure..." Tom caught the look she sent his way and restrained from shuddering. "Ok, I'll make some arrangements for you. Do you want someone to come with you, or will you be alright on your own?"

* * *

So that's how Natalie found herself outside the building that she had been dreading and yet wishing to enter for what felt like a lifetime. She walked up the stairs, happy that she had been able to convince Michelle to visit her "uncle" Tom so that she didn't have to deal with the small child's questions. 

When she reached the top, she took a deep breath, rested her hand in her pocket and pushed open the large, double door at the top of the stairs.

"Can I help you?" A man in a black suit greeted her almost the moment she walked in the door.

What was it she was supposed to say again? Oh, right: "I would like to make a withdrawal." Quite simple really, but it had been a long time since she was first here.

* * *

The man led her down a corridor, to a small office, where he motioned for her to sit behind the desk. She gave him the necessary information, and before she knew it, she was alone again, with a box in her hand. 

That box.

It had taken her a long time to choose, not because there was a large amount of choices, but because she was afraid of what this box meant.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, sorry to cut it short, but I'm not sure where else to cut the current writing. Sorry bout that. But I suppose you now have more to think about. Please review. It is always appreciated, and generally means I update sooner. 


	3. Contents and Identities Revealed

Contents and Identities Revealed 

**Disclaimer:** Don't own. Never did. Never will (apart from Michelle and Tom). Yes, I couldn't come up with a funny disclaimer.

**A/N:** Well, what can I say? If you don't understand who Natalie is after this chapter, it might be a while before you do, because I'm not in a habit of explaining my stories to great extent until it comes as part of the story, so hang around and wait, all will reveal itself in due course

**Kimmy**: Well, not knowing about what side your on, the bet should be resolved during this chapter

**Karatemastr**: Well, sorry that it doesn't make sense, but thats all the info I could put in without revealing identities totally in that chapter.

**genevra**: Ok, so I think I already emailed you as to your review, but can I say, that A- I love your long reviews and everyone else could try doing them that way too and b-my purpose in life seems to be making my friends laugh aswell!

**Charmed-angel4**: I hope this chapter stops you being confused...

* * *

She had sat for some time after the man left, running her fingers around the edge of the box, and found the indent from when she had dropped it. At least that was how it was supposed to appear.

She changed the locks on the front to their pre-arranged number, remembering that if she got it wrong, an alarm would go off down in headquarters, although no-one else was supposed to know this. Natalie double-checked that she had the correct combination, and pressed on the indent while opening the catch.

The box opened, and she did a quick check that everything that was supposed to be there was present. It was, and she shut the top, relocking it as she did.

'This is going to be okay.' she told herself. It had to.

* * *

Natalie was rather amazed at how fast everything had been worked out. She had to hand it to Tom. Less than 24 hours after telling him she wanted to go home, she and Michelle were on a 22-hour flight over the Pacific Ocean, complete with passports that they hadn't had the day before. They were sitting in First-Class, with the big seats and other bonus' that came with it. If she hadn't been nervous about the impending reunion, Natalie would have enjoyed herself, living the high life. However, she was nervous.

She glanced at Michelle. The small girl had insisted on having the window seat, and then promptly fallen asleep. Natalie had debated whether or not to move her, and decided that she wanted to see the scene below her so much that she had. The window seat also gave her added privacy.

She reached into her handbag, pulling out the box. In their haste to leave, she hadn't had a good look at it. Some of the more important stuff had been removed and she would get it later.

She opened it, and removed a pile of photographs. The top-most was now well worn, with two girls, aged about five and seven smiling at the camera. A bit further down in the pile, there was one of a young man and woman, smiling at each other oblivious to the photographer. And the most recent, which was now about six and a half years old, a baby lay in a cot, sleeping peacefully.

"Mummy, why are you crying?" Unbeknown to Natalie she had begun crying and Michelle had woken up.

"I'm just thinking baby-girl."

"Did the photos make you sad?" Michelle was oblivious to the pain her mother was going through.

"Yes." Natalie made to put the photos away, but Michelle was quicker than she had counted on.

"Who's this Mummy? Why did this baby make you cry?" Natalie knew that there would be a time to tell her the truth, but now was not that time. She was saved from answering by the waitress coming past and asking if Michelle wanted a juice. She wanted an apple juice, please.

"Who's this with you Mummy?" This question was worse than the last.

"Honey, you know how you're always asking me to tell you about your dad?" Natalie took a deep breath as Michelle nodded. "Well, that's him."

"Why are you looking at a picture of him Mummy? I thought thinking about him made you angry?" Natalie had to hand it to the kid; she was a very insightful six-year-old.

"It does, but not because I'm angry at him." She sighed. "It's complex honey." Which meant that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Ok Mummy. I'm sure you'll explain it to me when I get my big teeth." At Michelle's school, having big teeth meant you were all grown up. Michelle had only lost two baby teeth so far.

* * *

Michelle fell asleep again soon after. It had all been part of Natalie's grand plan from the night before. She had involved the small girl as much as possible in the packing of her gear for the trip, trying to tire the girl out so she would have time to think on the plane.

She once again opened the top of the box, and looked under the photographs. There was a small baby jumpsuit, and a card. She'd forgotten about the card. She wondered if her sister had realised it was missing. Natalie knew she should have left it behind, but at the time she couldn't bring herself to do so.

She shook herself from her reverie. It didn't matter any more anyway. At the very bottom of the pile was a washed blue chesty-bond. She remembered then why she had placed it in the box in the first place. It was to serve as a reminder to who she really was. To help her distinguish between the two people she had been.

All of a sudden she had an urge to go to the bathroom and put it on underneath her dress. However, that wasn't something that Natalie would do, and for the next few hours she would still be her. The upper class student who's family had deserted her when she had fallen pregnant to a no-hopper who left her at the first sign of commitment, never keeping up with the child-support payments. So now she had to work, mainly accounting at the local riding school. She only occasionally rode, generally when someone had to cancel a lesson, and the horse was free and so was she.

Natalie regretted not being able to afford to teach Michelle to ride, but she hoped that one day that would change.

It looked like that day would be sooner rather than later.

* * *

They were taxiing into terminal when an announcement came over the PA. _"We hope you enjoyed your flight with us today. We hope to see you again soon but until then, whether you're going home or just visiting, please enjoy your stay in Adelaide, the gateway to the Barossa."_

**Home** This was where she belonged. Or she used to. Natalie may not, but Claire certainly did.

* * *

****

A/N: Well, yet again, what do you think? I've been busy lately, and I'm not sure how much of this chapter makes sense. Email is found, as always here. And as always, I'd love your input!


	4. Long Drive Home

Long Drive Home 

**Disclaimer:** Well, obviously, the idea behind this story belongs to me, as do any characters you don't recognise. My spin on some characters that you have seen before belong to me, but thats where my property ends. Everything else came from the creative mind of Posy Evans and her talented writers, and of course the wonderful actors who spend a lot of their time developing the characters we know and love.

**A/N:** Ok, so I hope you have all figured out by now that Natalie is in fact not some created character, but Claire. How did that work? You're going to have to stay tuned for that. So until you do find out, please keep reviewing and all that stuff.

**Meggie-moo-has-fun**: Ok, so i will, at some stage, try a continued version of your fic. However, thats not going to be until I have finished this one, and at least Phonecall. So, yeah. In the mean time, would you like me to spell it out to you? Natalie doesn't _know_ Claire, she _is_ Claire.

**genevra**: Yet again, thanks for the long review. Loved it. The Big Teeth isn't a true story, but I thought it sounded cute. Feel free to use it, just tell me where so I can read it! Um, as you might have missed, the trip took 20 hours, so do she had to change a couple of timezones. As you said, I had to make it vague guys, it would give too much away if I had come right out and said: "Claire didn't die." Oh, and I'm 16.

**LiarEpicteller**: Yep, I can tell you're excited. I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets those sorts of reactions to fics.

**Kimmygal**: Glad you got money out of this venture, cos I didn't. (And I'm not supposed to either). Yeah, well about updating, if you think it takes me awhile to update this, try reading one of my Blue Heelers fics. They take really long to get the juices going.

**droverssunrise**: Thanks for loving the fic.

So, now thats out of the way, on with the story:

* * *

After they had gotten their luggage from the luggage carousel, Natalie left Michelle on a seat, the small girl still half asleep. As she waited in line to rent a car, she pondered as to her plan of attack. In the short time since Tom had Okayed her idea of returning, she hadn't thought much about how she would approach this. She was tempted to just turn up, like her sister had after so much time. Only, she hadn't thought that her sister was dead. . .

Natalie was spared from any more deep thoughts by reaching the head of the que. She filled out the forms, giving the girl a copy of her drivers' licence (hoping that she'd never have to use it again), and crossed out the part in the contract about not taking the vehicle off the road.

"How long will you be wanting it for ma'am?"

"I'm not quite sure. Shall we say two weeks?" Natalie paused, thinking briefly. "Would I be able to phone somewhere if I'd like it longer?"

"Sure, not a problem. The number's here on the key ring. The brochure in the car tells you where you can drop off the vehicle. I hope you enjoy your stay in Australia Miss-" the woman paused as she checked the paper in front of her "-Durham."

"I'm sure I will." Natalie smiled back, wondering when she could leave, then remembered that it didn't matter anymore, she was a tourist here, and she was expected to be rude. 'As long as they don't all die of shock' she added as an after thought to herself.

(A/N: Bonus points to the person/people who first work out the significances in Claire's new name.)

* * *

"Baby girl? Time to wake up." Natalie shook the small girl awake. Michelle looked up at her through sleepy eyes. "You can go back to sleep in the car, I promise."

Natalie lifted the small girl out of the bed they had shared for the night, as Michelle grabbed for her teddy bear. The two of them made their way out the door, reaching the car that Natalie had re-packed with the few things that she had taken out of the suitcase, and the few groceries she had bought since they arrived the night before.

Walking around to the driver's door after helping the small child into the high-set 4WD, she mentally checked off the things she had taken into the motel room. she reached her seat, and climbed in, starting the engine and driving to reception, where she stopped momentarily to drop off her room key.

As Natalie pulled the big car out onto the road and headed south towards the highway, she looked in the rear vision mirror, smiling when she saw the small girl hugging her bear close to her chest, fast asleep.

"Sleep well my darling. Today is going to be a long day."

* * *

"Mummy, I'm hungry." Natalie had been wondering how long it would take until Michelle woke up.

"Good morning. Can you wait for about half an hour? We're almost there." Natalie knew she was pushing her luck, but it was worth a try, wasn't it?

Michelle's stomach answered the question with a loud rumble. Natalie slowly moved the car to the side of the road, glancing behind her at the empty road before opening her door. She went around to the passenger side, where she rummaged through some of the shopping for some fruit.

Handing Michelle an apple, she re-arranged the small child's hair, and began rummaging again, looking for something to occupy the child. Spying the clothing bag, she thought back to a wonderful memory she held from her childhood.

"Have you ever tried to get changed in the car before?" She asked, knowing fair well that the child hadn't. The small child shook her head, and swallowed the mouthful of apple. "What do you want to wear today, a dress or skirt?" Natalie asked, silently wondering how she had come to raise a child who wouldn't wear pants or shorts. She glanced down at what she herself was wearing- jeans and a cleavage-showing top. If she hadn't been living this way for a few years, she wouldn't have recognised herself.

"My blue skirt and Barbie shirt." Michelle smiled, then asked the inevitable question- "Where are we going Mummy?"

"Well, honey, we're going to visit some old friends of Mummy's." Natalie knew enough about her daughter to realise that this would satisfy her curiosity, but only for a short time. She handed over the desired clothes, and closed the door, making sure that Teddy hadn't fallen out. Michelle would forgive her for a lot of things, but she would never forgive the loss of her favourite teddy bear.

Settling herself in to her seat, she glanced in the rear-vision mirror, and reached around to retrieve the apple core from her daughter's hot grasp. She eased her way back onto the road, driving slowly until the child was fully changed.

* * *

**A/N:** Well dudes. Coming up in the next chapter, Natalie and Michelle get petrol and drive to Drovers'. We see Bom, Tess and some other characters are alluded to. pause Now that's out of the way, why don't you review and tell me what you thought of this chapter, and if you feel really generous, want to see in the next chapter or so. 


	5. Arriving Home

Arriving Home 

Disclaimer: I had a really cool one, then I deleted it. I don't own any of the characters that you recognise from the show- I own: Michelle Tom The last six years of Claire's life (or Natalie's whole existance) Nothing else! 

A/N: Well, bonus points to whomever works out the significance of Claire's new name.

**CSIcrazy**: I'm glad you want to see it, so here it is. I'm having a bit of trouble with the idea of Alex and the rest, so please, any ideas you have, REVIEW and tell me!

**Kimmygal**: All that patient waiting has come to an end. I'll think about posting it, maybe not until I've written a bit more.

**mcleodsfreak**: Thanks, the idea came from watching My Moon, My Midnight. I didn't think that Claire could have died in the accident. . . oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you guys that yet!

**LiarEpicteller**: Stop dying and read the chapter! I'm now in year 12, so there might be less chapters. Then again, procrastinating does wonders for my muse!

**genera**: Thanks again for the review. I love yours. I'll get around to reading your fic soon, but I've never seen the OC but meh, I'm sure I'll cope.

**Precious Princess Pie - **you're lucky, because generally you'll have to wait a while for an update

* * *

Half an hour later, Natalie slowed the 4WD into the servo, and silently smiled to herself about how little in this town had changed. She supposed had supposed that since she herself had changed so much, then there must be a drastic change in the town in which she had grown up. She half expected to see her father walking out of the shop towards her, after having chatted to the owner. She knew it was silly, she'd seen him dead herself, but she was also dead, technically. Tom had shown her the death certificate. 

A young man with shoulder length brown hair walked out of the shop, and proceeded to the pump to fill her petrol tank.

"G'day." He said. (A/N: yeah, I know, its very cliché but what the heck?) He looked over her clean, pure white 4WD and frowning so slightly that had Natalie not been looking intently at his face, with scrutiny that she hadn't used for years she would have missed it.

'He obviously thinks I'm a bit of a yuppie', Natalie thought to herself, thoroughly amused. She supposed on some level she was these days, especially in clothing. She spent a lot of her days shopping for clothes that she would never had worn a few years ago. She supposed that she did look like a yuppie, not only the 4WD, but her clothing, luggage and her daughter's toys all shouted TOWNIE. She briefly considered trying to change his mind, but eventually decided against it.

"I'm looking for an old friend of mine, Tess McLeod." Natalie reached into the 4WD and grabbing a random piece of paper. "She lives on a place called Drovers' Run. Would you be able to tell me how to get there?" For appearances sake, she had to keep up the charade. Plus, Michelle would be a bit suspicious, and she didn't want the child knowing too much just yet.

The young man smiled to himself. He should have guessed this woman was a friend of Tess'. He'd forgotten for a moment that the woman had grown up in the city. "Yeah, sure. I'd take you myself, but I'm the only one working today." He turned around and pointed down the road. "Go down there, turn left at the pub, and continue along that. It's about an hour along, and there's a big sign." He walked towards the store, and motioned for her to follow. "That'll be $45.67."

Natalie followed, and picked up a packet of chips and a Coke for Michelle, and a Farmer's Brand Ice Coffee for herself. She had missed that. "Thanks for your help, -----"

"Luke," he filled in.

* * *

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with . . . . . F." 

"That's easy Mummy. Fence."

"Yep, you got it. Your turn." Natalie enjoyed playing the simple game with her daughter. They didn't often go on 'road-trips' but when they did, _I Spy_ was their favourite game.

"Ummmm." The small girl paused, looking out the window. "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with H."

Natalie tried not to be too easy on the child. She was still at the stage where she had to win most games. "I don't know. House?" She asked, knowing quite well that there weren't many houses around here.

"No Mummy. We haven't seen a house for a long time. Try again."

"Well, I don't know. I can't think of anything. I give up." Natalie was really stumped. The only thing other thing she could think of that began with H couldn't be this close to Drovers'.

"Silly Mummy. Helicopter." Michelle started giggling, luckily, so she didn't notice the look of surprise, horror and anticipation that arrived on her mother's face. "Can I go again?"

Natalie finally found the sign she was looking for, and slowed to turn over the cattle grid and into Drovers' Run. "Next time honey. We're almost there." Natalie took a deep breath. "How about you keep an eye out for a house."

"Ok Mummy." Once Michelle's focus was outside the car, Natalie began steeling herself for the re-union that was ahead.

* * *

Charlotte Prudence McLeod, newly turned seven, sat at her desk in her grandfathers' study, in front of a computer that was connected to the Internet, completing a find-a-word on American States from her School Of The Air teacher. Because she had finished her schoolwork earlier today, her teacher Mrs Manton had given her some activities to do until her Aunt and the rest of the workers on the farm returned from their various duties. 

She usually wasn't alone in the large house, but since the new baby had come at Kilarny, Becky's help was needed in both places. The baby had been up all night, so Becky was left holding the baby, so to speak.

Jodi was in the yard, fixing pumps. Lottie sometimes helped her, but Jodi wasn't in a good mood today, so she had stuck to her schoolwork. Aunty Tess was down in the cottage, fixing it up for when Rosie came to stay after school had finished for the term. Stevie and Kate were fixing fences in Skinny Jims' and Uncle Nick had dropped Becky into Kilarny on his way into town.

Moreover, Lottie was in almost constant contact with her teacher, and she had been using the two-way radios almost since she was able to talk. When other small children had played with the telephone, calling random people in other countries, Charlotte had been captivating the hearts of truckers' on the long haul across Outback Australia.

After lunch, she was hoping to be allowed to Kilarny and the new baby. She had only met the baby once, and it was all squishy at that stage.

Uncle Nick said that baby David wouldn't stay so squishy, but she wasn't sure if she believed him. She had missed the sad look that passed between him and her Aunt.

She finished her find-a-word, and went off towards the kitchen to look for the sandwich that Jodi had made for her when she made Luke's lunch. She walked back into the study, holding her sandwich and a Fruit Box. She was about to sit down at the desk when she heard an unfamiliar car draw up out the front. She walked down the hall from the back of the house where the study was located to the front door.

"Hello. Can I help you?" Charlotte's normal greeting was a simple, country 'g'day' but from the look of this woman, she was fairly sure that it mightn't go down so well.

"Hi. Is your mum home?" She asked, knowing the real answer but not knowing how much the child knew.

"My mum died when I was a baby." Charlotte replied, looking a bit crestfallen.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry." Natalie had been playing her part for so long, and she figured that a couple of minutes longer wouldn't harm.

"My Aunty Tess will be home soon. Would you like to wait in here?" Charlotte had been taught to be respectful and still wary of strangers. "I'm Charlotte, by the way. But everyone calls me Lottie."

Just then, Michelle started calling for her mum, removing any thoughts that Natalie may or may not have had. "I'm in here Michelle."

Michelle walked down the hall, awestruck by the house. "Charlotte, this is my daughter Michelle. She's six."

The two girls eyed one another. They couldn't have been more different. Charlotte had short, blonde hair and was wearing a t-shirt that proclaimed: "Gungallen rodeo- the best weekend of the year" and shorts that were well loved and splattered with mud. Her feet were bare, and her fingernails had dirt under them.

Michelle, on the other hand, was wearing a skirt that looked like it had been bought the day before, and a pink t-shirt with Barbie as Cinderella. On her feet she had dainty white sandals and her fingernails were painted pink.

Natalie looked over the two girls as they shyly said hello. 'You'd never guess they were sisters.' She thought to herself.

* * *

**A/N:**Ok, so a few things to clean up- Sorry we didn't see Tess but some of the other characters were aluded to. The thing with the Ice Coffee- when I was moving to Adelaide, the removalists wouldn't drink anything but Farmers Union-they said it was the best in Australia and I agree. I also have an issue with Fruit Boxes. So, in case you didn't notice, I shuddered when I said that. I'm a Queenslander at heart still, and we call them Poppers. However, I lived in Adelaide for a small period, and that's what they call them, so since Drovers' is in SA, I called them that. 

**A/N2: **Ok, so, is it Alex who's middle name is Marion? And lucky MD fans, cos you've had about two of my stories updated in the last couple of days


	6. Dave, The Caring and Compassionate One

Dave, the caring and compasionate one 

Disclaimer: Well, I should warn you that, if you think I own these characters, some little men, in little white coats are going to drag you off for a holiday.

**A/N:** Ok, so guys, no-one's come up with the significance of Claire's new name (which is Natalie Durham), so I may have to name the next new character myself. What I mean by the significance is . . . well, its kinda a quirky idea I had. And Claire'll explain it in a couple of chapters anyway.

**Sarita**: Well, while you're looking forward to figuring it all out, I'm having fun trying to work out what it's all going to be!

**Meggie-moo-has-fun**: thanks for the info on Alex's middle name... thinking about incorperating it into the fic somehow. Unfortunately neither Alex nor Tess appear in this chap, but they are going to have a HUGE shock when they see her.

**genevra:** Ok, so David lives at Kilarny. He is Sandra and Harry's son. Becky came back to look after Charlotte after some stuff happened in her life... haven't quite worked out what yet, but keep reading, it'll appear at some stage in the future. Tess and Nick- the look that passed between them confused Bom, and thus should have confused you. However, to let you in on a spoiler, they haven't been able to have any children.

**CSIcrazy:** It's alright that you're slow. Genevra, i think it was, worked out who Natalie was in the first little snippet. However, no-one has still managed to work out the significance of Natalie Durham, so I can't tell you how her new name came about.

* * *

A short while later, Dave came whistling into the yard. He walked towards the house, carrying his bag of tricks. He knew that Bom had been left alone today, and he figured that he'd keep her company before he got to work. He saw a strange 4WD with interstate plates on it and quickened his pace. He ran up the back stairs and started into the house, keeping an eye out for anything that was out of place. As he made his way past the kitchen he remember the day he had found Kate scared and ready to attack him with her wheel brace. He began to remember how he had comforted her and pushed the thought from his mind. He could reminisce about the day he fell for his third wife later. 

He paused for a moment, and followed the sound of voices to the study. He poked his head in and saw Charlotte and a short, brown haired girl sitting at the desk, drawing. There was something in the smile of the younger girl that he couldn't quite figure out. It seemed familiar somehow. He guessed the younger girl to be a year or so younger than Charlotte. There was a woman, with long brown hair looking out the window. There was something familiar in her stance that he couldn't work out either. He cleared his throat, and two pairs of eyes greeted him.

"Uncle Dave!" Lottie threw herself at the older man. She never got tired of seeing her 'uncle'. He picked her up, and hugged her close. She hugged him around the throat as he positioned her on his hip.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" he asked, grinning what can only be described as a Dave grin.

"This is Michelle. She's five and a half..."

"I'm almost six!" Michelle commented indignantly.

"Of course you are sweetheart." The strange woman by the window commented for the first time. She turned around, and Dave withheld a gasp. No wonder he thought he recognised this woman! Natalie saw the recognition pass across his face and shook her head firmly at him. She walked over and shook the man's hand. "It's nice to meet you Dave, I'm Natalie. I didn't know Tess had a brother."

Dave wasn't quite sure what Claire was playing at, but it wouldn't hurt him to play along for a little while. "I'm not her brother." He was about to continue when Lottie had to throw in her two cents worth.

"He's our vet. He used to date Aunty Tess, but she says that he was too silly for her, so she married Uncle Nick instead." Natalie saw the brief look of pain pass over Dave's face. "But then he married Kate, one of our station hands, last year." Dave pinched her, indicating that she had said enough.

Natalie didn't know what to say next. She really needed to get Michelle and Charlotte to go and do something before her cover was blown. Just as she was formulating a plan, Dave spoke again. "You haven't mentioned how you know our Tess."

'Ah, a question I can deal with.' Natalie was used to difficult questions, but this one was easy enough to explain away without really lying. "We go way back." She was about to continue when she felt a small hand pulling at the leg of her jeans. She looked down and smiled at her younger daughter.

"Mummy, I'm hungry." There it was, one of the small parts of Michelle's father that had sustained her over the long years since she had been forced to leave, not knowing she was pregnant with another child.

Dave saw that this was the perfect opportunity to get some time alone with Claire. "Lottie, why don't you go and show Michelle your pony while Natalie and I make some sandwiches?" He paused, knowing what would be going on in the small girl's mind. "And we'll come and watch both of you riding after we've eaten, okay?"

Both girls smiled widely, and eagerly left the study, Michelle lagging behind slightly.

Once the two were out of sight, Dave turned to Natalie and acknowledged her properly. "What happened?" He asked roughly, still shocked. "I didn't make it to your funeral, but everyone else in the area did."

Claire sighed. "It's complex." She paused, unsure how to approach the subject. "It's also rather long."

"It has been close to seven years." Dave's eye's widened- a thought had just occurred to him. He did some quick calculations and it all added up. "Michelle's Alex's daughter, isn't she?" He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier.

Claire didn't know what to say. She had hoped that someone would be able to help her with her explanation. She didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded.

"I knew I had seen that grin somewhere before." He turned, and beckoned her to follow him to the kitchen. "Do you want to tell me now, or do you want to tell us all together?"

Claire wasn't used to this side of Dave. If it had something to do with his third wife, she couldn't wait to meet her. Although the happy-go-lucky, joking Dave was a breath of fresh air most of the time, it was nice to know that he had an insightful side too.

"I haven't really thought past turning up." She sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot today.

"Does Michelle eat Vegemite?" Dave recoiled as Claire hit him.

"Of course she does! What do you take me for?" She looked confused as he shot her a look. "What?"

"Have you seen the way that she dresses?"

Claire thought back to her earlier revelation. "Ok, point taken." She thought for a moment, and then began to grin. "God, it's going to be like having Tess arrive all over again."

Dave just grinned and returned to making the Vegemite sandwiches.

* * *

**A/N:** There was something...... Oh, right. Ok, so I've figured out what the ending is going to be.... haven't written it, that tends to be the death of my FFs. Also, I've written as far as Tess coming back to the house, so the next chapter's well underway.

**A/N 2:** If anyone can come up with a better idea for the title of this chap, I'll be ETERNALLY greatful!


	7. Will You Marry My Mummy?

Will You Marry My Mummy? ****

Disclaimer: I don't own Nic, or Dave or Charlotte or Claire. I own Natalie (sorta) and Michelle.

**SPOILER WARNINGS:** Up until the end of season 4. There's a single spoiler, ingrained late in this chap.

**A/N:** Ok, so there's about another four or five chapters to go. Let me clear something up though-I've been unsure as to how to refer to Claire/Natalie. So what I'm doing is- when she's referred to in the presence of someone who doesn't know she's actually Claire, I'm calling her Natalie. However, when only people who know her real identity are around, she is referred to as Claire. Make sense?

**CSIcrazy**: I wasn't actually talking bout re-doin the chap, I was talking bout the name for the chap.

**reach94**: Ok, so you got the Kate and Dave bit. . . I wasn't sure whether people would get it.

**meggie-moo-has-fun**: Dave being supportive was kinda hard to write.

**Caitlin**: I'm glad you figured out how to review... it makes life more fun!!!

**LiarEpicteller**: Ok, so I kinda took your advice... It's Nick this chap. I think that so far, Dave has been the hardest person for me to write. I'm glad you think I'm doing it well.

**genevra**: I was getting worried, you took so long to review! No, Natalie Durham wasn't the name of Tess' doll. Tess' doll was Annabelle, and she features in this chap. Dave's third wife is Kate. He's had two on the show, Tess was going to be his third. Ooooh!!! Thanks, the comment about the spoiler is useful, I forgot a spoiler warning.

**droverssunrise**: I hadn't really thought about the fact that Michelle and Charlotte were mimicing Tess and Claire... it was meant to be country mouse vs town mouse... I didn't watch the last ep, so I have no idea about what you meant by the Dave and Sally thing but it sounds EVIL!!!

On With The Show.....

* * *

As Nick walked past the cubbyhouse that he had build for his children and his niece, he noticed something rather unusual. He traced his steps backwards and peered through the doorway. Inside there was a small girl with hair that reached most of the way down her back. She was sitting on the rug in the middle of the small room, treating dolls that Charlotte seldom played with anymore to a tea party.

As Michelle began to pour "tea" from the small teapot, she felt someone watching her. She looked up, hoping that it would be either her mum or Charlotte's "Uncle Dave" and that they might stay and play with her.

She looked up, and up, and up! The strange man smiled down at her and she nervously smiled back. He stooped down to enter the cubby and she noticed that he walked funny. He lowered himself to the floor near her and she noticed he seemed to have trouble bending one of his legs.

She smiled at him again, and continued pouring.

"Well I recognise Annabelle and Kathleen, but who is this?" He asked, pointing the various dolls in succession.

"That's Stephanie." She said, passing out invisible slices of cake. "I've had her since I was born."

Nick was unable to place the small girl's accent. It was somewhat familiar but yet still unrecognisable.

"Who are you?" She asked, in the tone only a five-almost-six year old can manage. That mixture of curiosity and accusation.

Nick held back a chuckle, remembering the time he had laughed when his niece had used the tone. She hadn't talked to him for a week. 'She hold's a grudge almost as good as her mother did.' he had thought to himself at the time, with sadness.

"I'm Nicholas Ryan, but everyone calls me Nick." He realised that he still didn't know anything about this small child. "And you are?"

"I'm Marion Michelle Durham, but everyone calls me Michelle. Mummy says she named me after someone she once knew but they didn't like the name Marion, so she just calls me Michelle, except when I'm in trouble…" She carried on in her own unconscious way, not noticing the change that came over Nick.

'Oh, God.' he thought, remembering something from the very back of his mind. 'It's not possible, she's dead. I was there, I saw her dead and I carried her coffin.'

FLASHBACK 

_"What are you going to call your children?" _A five-year-old Nick asked seven-year-old Alex and Claire. They had just gotten "married", attended by Nick and a four-year-old Tess and various teddy bears. Claire had been obsessed with weddings since her father had gotten married again about five years earlier.

The proud "parents-to-be" had smiled at each other and began to both talk at once:

"Marion Michelle McLeod." Piped up the small Claire at the same time Alex had said: "Adam Louis Ryan."

While Tess had started laughing at what none of them knew, the two eldest members of the party glared at each other.

"I hate my middle name." Alex shot at the girl across from him.

"Why do you think I used it?" Claire allowed herself a gleeful look, and then registered what Alex had said. "I hate Louise. It's so girly."

"Why do you think I used it?" Alex shot back, smiling just as gleefully as she had moments before. He was wrapped in his world and didn't notice the look of cunning that overtook Claire's face. He found himself on the ground, being pummelled by the girl. he fought back bravely, trying to gain face in front of the other two children.

They, however, were uninterested. They had seen this all before and wandered off on their own.

END FLASHBACK 

Nick smiled at the memory. That had been one of the last fights between the two friends. Alex had eventually gotten too strong for his companion and they had had to resort to bets, originally being small amounts of property, then pocket money, and eventually a slab of beer. The day had never been spoken of again, but he certainly remembered it. He never let Alex forget the event, and he was sure that Claire hadn't, for two reasons. It was one of the last happy events that she had shared with her baby sister, for Ruth and Tess had left soon after. And because who else would have named their child that? It seemed too much of a coincidence.

* * *

Michelle was used to her mother phasing out at various times. She never questioned it; it was something that had happened for as long as she could remember. She had always passed it off as normal, and this man in front of her reinforced that idea. She watched him closely, and when his eyes began to glaze over with unshed tears, she impulsively hugged him tight.

Nick was shaken from his reverie by a pair of arms flung around his neck. he smiled down at the small girl, and hugged her back.

"What made you sad?" She asked cautiously, unsure as to how he would react.

"I was just thinking about something I have thought about for a long while." He answered cryptically. "Why don't you tell me more about your Mummy?" He asked apprehensively, trying not to hope too much.

"My Mummy's name is Natalie. She's really old."

"How old?"

"She's 34."

Nick smiled, he had forgotten how old people seemed when you were young. "It's not that old."

"Yes it is!" Michelle looked up at him hopefully. "How old are you?"

"I'm 32."

"Two years younger than my mummy." Michelle had a thought. "Will you marry my mummy?"

Nick definitely hadn't seen that one coming. He was about to reply when she continued.

"It's just that she's been unhappy lately and you look like a happy man who'd keep my Mummy happy."

Nick looked down at the small girl. He'd had talks about marriage with various members of both his and his various girlfriends' families, but never one this straight forward or from someone so young. "I'd love to honey," the short statement gained him a smile, that only fell soon after, "but I'm already married."

As her face fell, he almost wished that he could have said yes to her very unique offer of marriage. She began to cry, and he bent down to pick her up, carrying her out of the cubby, careful to pick up Stephanie, Annabelle and Kathleen at the same time.

"How about we go and see your Mum sweetheart?" He asked, knowing what her answer would be. He had had enough experience with his son and niece to know that sometimes only a Mummy or some other maternal figure could cure all hurts.

* * *

As Nick carried the small child towards the house, Natalie made her way down the stairs, looking for the small child. Charlotte had woken up from an excitement-induced sleep and Dave was explaining some maths while Natalie looked for her daughter. The two adults had talked about various things, not touching on the topic that both of them had really wanted to discuss, until they had been interrupted by the arrival of a small, blonde child.

She headed down the path towards the cubby that Dave had informed her was built by her brother-in-law before the birth of his son. When she had commented on the absence of another child in the house, he sighed and paused before telling her the story of Sally and Nick's son and how it had made the first couple of months of their marriage bumpy.

She looked up and saw a familiar tall man walking towards her, holding something in his arms. She smiled when she saw the slight limp he had and quickened her pace towards them.

"I was just coming looking for you." She said, startling both the man and the child in his arms.

"Mummy!" Michelle called, holding out her arms. Nick just stood stock still in his tracks. He knew that voice. He used to, at least.

"Mummy, this is Nick." Michelle commented from her mother's arms. "Nick, this is my mummy. We were just talking about you," She informed Natalie.

"Really?" Natalie asked, looking over at the younger man.

"Yeah, I asked him if he'd marry you, but he's already married." Natalie held back the laugh that threatened to corse through her. if only the small girl knew how like her grandfathers she was.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Nick answered, finding his voice crackly.

"Pity." Came the cheeky reply from the older Durham. "Honey, Charlotte's awake." This bit was aimed at Michelle. "Why don't you go in and see if Dave's found the ice-cream yet?"

As her younger daughter made her way up the path, she turned back to the man in front of her. "Good to see you again Nick."

Nick was speechless. It was something unfamiliar to him, but he was definitely unable to speak. "You died." He whispered, unsure of what he was seeing.

"Actually, I didn't." Claire answered him, moving to help him to the ground as he turned pale.

The world went black and the last thing he saw was the face of a woman he thought he'd never see again. He wasn't sure if it was good or not that she wasn't.

* * *

**A/N: ** This chapter was to be originally written about Alex, and then I realised that Michelle, being the bright kid she is, would have recognised him as her father. (Oh, sorry if you didn't catch that in the last chapter, but you should have been reading more clearly) 


	8. Stay

Stay... 

**Disclaimer:** The Time has come the walrus said, to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax... oops! So, disclaimer... I don't own. Don't sue, it'll cost you more than you gain.

**A/N**: Tess should be showing up in the next chapter. She was actually supposed to turn up here, but my maths study got the better of me, so you've all gotten a short chapter.

* * *

Claire sat on the step for a while, until Nick began to show signs of consciousness once again. Dave had come looking for her after the two children had consumed the contraband ice creams and gone upstairs to play Snap.

Nick opened his eyes and saw two pairs of concerned eyes looking back down at him. He blinked, trying to figure out where he was. Then he remembered.

"You're dead. I went to your funeral." His voice was croaky and filled with emotion- mainly disbelief and pain. He sat up before continuing. "You broke Alex's heart. You broke my big brother's heart." He accused, angrily moving himself into a standing position. "He was going to propose, and you died. He spent the next three days searching for the Brumby, not sleeping or eating. He almost missed your funeral, if you can call it that." Claire made a move to speak, but he dismissed her, beginning to pace and his voice rising. "He went back to the rodeo circuit because he didn't care anymore. He almost killed himself. He lost all feeling. It almost killed Tess when Peter turned up wanting custody."

Claire gasped, turning to Dave who only nodded sadly. How could Tom have missed telling her that? Nick slowed his pacing, and for a few moments he was quiet.

"Why Claire, why?" He asked, bringing himself down to her level like she was a small child. "What was so bad that you had to leave?"

Claire was glad that he'd restrained from shaking her shoulders like he would have in the past. She was still a bit iffy on physical contact with anyone other than Michelle.

"It's complicated..."

Nick interrupted her: "Then simplify it." Came his arrogant response.

"I can't."

Nick sighed, and tried another question. "If you can't tell me that, what can you tell me?" Nick was confused and he'd go for any information what so ever, no matter how small. "Why did your daughter call you Natalie?"

"I've been Natalie Durham since I left. That's all that Michelle has ever known me as." She stood, and began pacing where he had a few moments before. "I suppose I owe you an explanation, but I'd rather not have to explain too many times. All I can tell you now is that there were some...... issues that have now disappeared."

Nick was mystified, but he knew Claire well enough to know not to push the issue. "What about Michelle?" He asked.

"What about me?" Unknown to the others, the two girls had come down from upstairs, bored with the simple card game that neither seemed to be winning.

The thoughts running through the heads of the three grown-ups were all about the same. They all included mental swearing, profanities and incriminating comments. It was lucky that the two youngsters didn't have ESP.

"We were talking what we're going to do for the next couple of days." Claire lied. Because she'd been doing it for years, it came out smoothly these days.

"And I was trying to convince your mother not to stay in Gungallen. I was thinking that it wouldn't be fair on you to be up so late." Nick had picked up on her lie, and was willing to run with it, hoping to get something of his own out of the occasion. "Seriously Natalie, the house is big enough, there's enough room. I'm sure that Charlotte wouldn't mind having Michelle crash in her room."

"Can she really Uncle Nick?" Charlotte was excited. She'd never had anyone stay in her room since she'd first gotten her new trundle bed.

"If its ok with Natalie."

"Please Mummy."

Natalie looked at her daughters. Nick had her. There was no way she could disappoint both of them. "Okay, as long as you let me cook."

As the two girls jumped up and down excitedly, Nick almost balked in horror. He hoped that Claire had learnt to cook recently because from past experience, she couldn't even cook a batch of pancakes.

* * *

****

A/N: As I said, short chapter. Please review and give me any ideas you might have as to how to get Tess to the house before Alex arrives.

**Debz-Hidden-Obsession**: I'm sorry that you didn't like Dave and Kate as a couple, but i thought they sounded cute. It was either Dave and Kate or Dave and Stevie... But YAY!!! you got the Natalie/Claire initials thing.

**Genevra**: You'll have to wait longer for Tess. I'm considereing getting rid of Jodi, I'm having a lot of trouble writing her in Letters. And, you did get the thing for Michelle

**LiarEpicteller**: Well, Alex is going to be kinda angry, and sad and... well, don't wanna spoil the whole plot!

**meggie-moo-has-fun:** Hopefully, I can tell you about the name soon, even if no-one figures it out!

**CSIcrazy**: I think everyone agrees with you that Michelle is a cutie!

**Sarita**: Updating in my stories doesn't often happen.... so this one is going REALLY well compared to all the others. Why don't you try reading Letters?

**Caitlin**: Well, Nick's reaction? To faint, then to rant and rage.... I suppose it's not all that Nick-like but still, I had fun writing it. With respect to the guess, as far as I know, the Natalie has nothing to do with Peter's kids. But you were right about Michelle.


	9. Tess' Return

Tess' Reaction 

**Disclaimer:** I'd love to say I owned them, but that would be lying

**A/N:** Well, it's a short chapter. I couldn't cut the storyline anywhere other than where I did.

**droverssunrise:** I wasn't sure whether I was taking Nick too much out of character, but I'm glad that you seem to like it.

**CSIcrazy:** Ok, so what is confusing you about the names? Michelle's middle name is the same as Alex's. The Initials stand for McLeod's Daughters. Yes, Charlotte and Nick live with Tess, but if you read back further, you'll discover that she's down at the cottage, cleaning it up for when Rosie comes... (I had to look that up, cos I got confused too!)

* * *

A few minutes later, Dave found himself on the CB. He had been the one elected to get Tess back to the house, while telling her the smallest amount of information possible. "Tess, I think you should get back here ASAP."

"Oh my God, Dave. What's wrong? Is it Charlotte?" The concern in her voice was evident. "Has something happened to her?"

"No, she's fine." Dave paused, unsure of how to put this. "There's just something that you need to look at."

* * *

Tess replaced the CB in its pouch, and watched as Jodi walked down the path to her old home. She had heard the crackling that often accompanied a CB transmission. "What was that all about?" The younger woman questioned her elder.

"I'm not entirely sure." Tess sighed **(A/N: I really need to come up with a better way of my characters expressing themselves. That's the sixth time someone has sighed in this fic alone. So far people have sighed twice in Phonecall, and twice in letters… ok, so maybe its not as bad as I thought, but I still need suggestions peoples!)** "Dave was insistent that I should get up there as soon as possible."

"Is it something to do with Bom?" Jodi was worried about the little girl to whom she wasn't related but still felt like a niece in the same as Claire had, during her early years, had felt like a big sister.

"That's what I thought, but he said she's alright, so your guess is as good as mine."

The two women strode off towards the house, both deep in various thoughts as to what might be happening.

* * *

Natalie found herself pacing around the house she used to call home, noticing small differences here and there. At one stage, she found herself in the study again, looking at the handwriting of the small daughter whom she didn't really know. She smiled as she looked at the painting on the wall, remembering all that Tess had said about it.

She walked over to the mantle piece where she discovered various pictures of various children. She recognised Charlotte in several. In another few, she found a small boy who looked very much like Nick when they were growing up. She supposed that this must be the son that Dave had talked about. In one, she recognised Peter, his daughters, her daughter and his wife. 'What an interesting family picture that is.' she thought to herself, resenting him still. It was him who had gotten her into the mess she had been in for the last seven years.

* * *

Tess rushed up the path, having left Jodi to tackle the back end of the house. Her brain told her that nothing was wrong, but her heart didn't want to listen.

As she entered the cool oasis of the house and began wondering where everyone was, she noticed some movement in the study.

"What was so important Dave Brewer that I had to rush up here when Rose arrives tomorrow and Stevie is busy out..." She broke her rant, as she finally saw the person in her house. There was a woman staring out of the window over the fields. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" she inquired. Then she gasped, as she watched the woman turn around. It wasn't possible. She must be hallucinating again.

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, so I'm going on holidays for Christmas, so I don't know when I'll next be able to update, but hopefully when I do, I'll have several chapters to put up at once. So, until then, review and tell me you love me and that you can't wait until I get the next chapter up. 


	10. Bringing Them All Together

Bringing Them All Together 

**Disclaimer:** Well, I don't own them, didn't get them for X-mas, but my birthday's coming soon...

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long people... major writers block. Anyone willing to help me over any future ones?

* * *

_"What was so important Dave Brewer that I had to rush up here when Rose arrives tomorrow and Stevie is busy out…" She broke her rant, as she finally saw the person in her house. There was a woman staring out of the window over the fields. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" she inquired. Then she gasped, as she watched the woman turn around. It wasn't possible. She must be hallucinating again._

"Hi Tess."

"Claire?" Tess was unsure of what was going on. "But… but… you're dead. I saw your spirit. You helped me move on."

"Actually, I'm not dead. And you didn't." Claire was unsure of how to explain this next bit. "It's a regular psychological response, to see something that isn't there."

Tess remained where she was, looking somewhat confused. It didn't make sense, and then, what about Claire dying did? When the Ute went over, it didn't flip. The impact shouldn't have been enough to kill her. She had always assumed that the wait before someone arrived had been what had finished her off.

Tess asked a question that had been weighing on everyone's mind all day. "Why? What was so bad that you faked your own death?"

Claire wasn't sure how to put this and she was getting sick of avoiding the topic. "I saw something I wasn't supposed to." She looked towards Tess' questioning face before adding. "I received death threats."

* * *

Nick and Dave waited for Jodi had entered the house before following the sound of voices to the study. They were unsure of whether to enter, unsure about intruding on the private moment. They heard a voice from inside the room and all gasped.

_"I received death threats." _

Nick and Dave just looked at each other in disbelief. "Death threats?" Dave mouthed.

"That board still creaks Nick." Came Claire's voice from inside.

"How'd you know it was me?" He asked. Though he was more interested in bigger things, he was still interested by the little ones.

"You're step has been uneven since the accident." She answered, unsure as to how he would respond, the subject having always been a sensitive subject.

A silence settled around the room. Jodi stared at the woman who had been the big sister she never had, feeling that she was dreaming, but since she seemed in control of her actions, she reasoned that she wasn't. Dreaming that was… though she also had to reason that Claire wasn't dead.

The silence was broken by the sound of a phone, ringing shrilly throughout the home and a small voice that answered it.

"Hello, this is Charlotte." There was a pause as the person on the other end said something. "I've finished all my work." pause "No, Uncle Dave and Uncle Nick are in the yard, talking to Natalie." pause "She's an old friend of Aunty Tess. She has a daughter and Michelle is going to stay on my trundle bed." pause "Okay, I'll tell them. I love you too, bye."

* * *

The silence in the study continued until Charlotte began to call to her uncles.

"We're in here Lottie." Nick answered, wondering what his brother could have had to say.

"Uncle Alex says he's on his way over." She began talking loudly, then quietened when she realised how many people she was talking to.

* * *


	11. Explinations

Explinations 

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Michelle is. She comes entirely from my mind. Alex belongs to me in my mind, but didn't come from there, so legally, he's not mine. DANG!

**Excuses:** So I didn't do this earlier because: 1- I had exams. 2- I was in _The Edinburgh Military Tattoo- A Salute To Australia_. 3- I had to catch up on all the work I missed. 4- People wanted an epilogue for Letters. 5- I wrote a NCIS fic. 6- I had writer's block. A big one. 7- I just didn't. Okay?

**A/N:** Here it is. I can see the end peoples... Oh, and sorry if you can't review this chap cos of details with having "reviewed before". It's got to do with me removing the old AN that was chap 8.

**CSIcrazy:** Yeah, sorry bout that. You couldn't review because I removed the chap that was just an Author's note. Hmm, one look on Alex's face coming right up. I will go and check out your fics ASAP.

**Anne**: Wasn't planning on it...

**Genevra**: Supprisingly, no, you're the only one who wants to help with future bits...

**lilyflower**: Ahh, the first time Tess was hallucinating was when she ate that funny rye bread in S4.

* * *

All the adults sat on the veranda watching the two children play on the steps. They heard a car charge up the driveway and the silence that had surrounded them was broken. They eyed each other wearily; each afraid of what was to come.

They waited for him to arrive, for the moment when his eyes would come to rest on the figure everyone knew he would recognise. They were worried as to what his reaction would be, when it came. Turns out they needn't have worried.

His reaction would shock them all.

* * *

When Alex heard about a Natalie and her daughter Michelle, his mind recalled the day that he convinced himself he had imagined. The day he opened her mail and unwittingly stumbled across something he wasn't supposed to. That something would change both their lives…

He hurried to his Ute, resisting the urge to speed. As it was, he made it to the Run in record time, rushing through the house to the group on the veranda and searching the group for the woman everyone thought dead. Tears streamed down his face when he found her face in the small crowd. The relief and love on his face was evident. She stood, taking him in her arms, needing to assure both of them that he was there, that she was there, that they were there together.

Everyone looked on in shock. Had the situation been any different, Claire and Alex would have both laughed long and hard at the faces of those around them. As it was, they didn't bother trying to hide their smiles at the faces around them.

"I suppose I have some explaining to do." Claire said, across the shoulder of the man clinging to her, looking as if he never wanted to let go. He knew he didn't.

She motioned for him to sit, needing a few moments to herself, to collect her thoughts and emotions.

"I'd begin at the start, but it's a long story." Claire paused, still unsure what she needed to say, and what she could refrain from disclosing.

"During the time that Peter and I were dating, if you can call it that, he got himself into some business that wasn't one hundred per cent legal."

A gasp went around the gathered group. None of them had particularly liked Peter, but they hadn't thought that badly of him. One person, however, didn't seem all that surprised. Alex looked over to where she stood, nodding at her slightly.

"You knew."

"I saw that letter… before that I only suspected." More than one head whipped around to face him. Alex was faced with a sea of questioning and surprised faces. More than one of them made a mental note to question him later, one was more than annoyed that he hadn't kicked his brother's butt more about what was worrying him.

"Well, that changes things slightly." Claire stood, face covered in emotion, for a few moments before recollecting herself. "Had I known, I might have been able to convince them to let you come too. They almost let me as was."

"Them?" Meg was fast, but not as fast as usual.

Realisation began to dawn on the group; several disbelieving faces regained their previous expressions. "You were in Witness Protection." Came the general chorus.

"We're in the company of genius'!" There was a pause. "Why me and not Bom?"

"We talked about that. It would be easier to fake the death of one adult than it would be to fake two. I tore my heart in half when we decided that we had to leave Bom here." Her face contorted with the pain that hadn't totally left her. "They thought that if we both 'died' then Peter's mates would suspect something more than if it was just me." There was more to it than that, she knew. Claire had left her small daughter behind so those she had left would always have a reminder of her. "When Michelle was born, my heart began to heal but there's still missing parts."

Alex's face contorted in confusion and it hit the rest of the group. Alex didn't know. They had done their maths (without Claire, of course) and figured that Claire would have been about a month and a half along when she had 'died'. They figured that Alex knew.

For some reason, Alex thought back to what Charlotte had thought earlier. Maybe it was the use of her name. Maybe it was something that had been stuck in his mind and had only just surfaced. "Charlotte said you have a daughter." He said, more to himself than to anyone else. He was reluctant to voice his thoughts, but there didn't seem to be any other explanation. He told himself he had no reason to feel betrayed - they had thought they would never see each other again. Sure, he had suspected she mightn't be dead, but he was sure she'd never be able to return. He had been sure that some other man would be smarter than he himself had been and sweep her off her feet and she'd never want to leave.

Alex told himself that he had no right to feel jealous that someone else had, yet again, put a life into her womb.

* * *

Two small bodies propelled themselves out of the house. They had stopped playing on the stairs a while ago and headed upstairs to try to pull the trundle bed out from underneath the bed. When they discovered they couldn't, they had spent some time disrupting the harmony and well ordered room then headed down to find someone to help with the bed.

Michelle made her way to her mother, climbing onto her lap and snuggling into her arms. Alex found his lap occupied with Charlotte, who was talking a mile a minute, about what they had been doing. Alex, who normally listened enthralled to her every word, just stared at the picture made by Claire and her daughter. When the small girl turned around to get Charlotte's conformation on something, he was struck by her eyes, so unlike her mother's yet still so familiar.

Michelle looked awestruck back at him. She looked towards her mother, and back at him. She whispered into Claire's ear, and he watched as she nodded, tears forming in her usually clear eyes.

Michelle clambered down from her perch on her mother's lap. "Daddy!" She squealed, running towards him.

He shook his head in disbelief… It couldn't be. He was about to protest, then realised. The small eyes. Those little, trusting, clear eyes. The reason they were so familiar was because they starred back at him when he talked to his brother, and when he kissed the picture of his mother at night (not that anyone else knew that) and anytime he faced a reflective surface. They were the family eyes. She was his.

He hugged his daughters. Both of his daughters.

* * *


	12. In The Middle Of The Night

In The Middle Of The Night 

**Disclaimer:** Only way they'd belong to me was if I held a gun to someone's head and demanded they sign over the rights. Being a pacifist, this is never going to happen. I'm still only borrowing.

**allsaintsfan:** You only read the first chapter? pout

**NZFan:** Well, he didn't know she was alive the entire time. He suspected she might have been, but wasn't a hundred per cent sure. I think that Michelle was just so looking forward to meeting her dad that she couldn't do anything but run up to him... and she was a bit awestruck at first.

**genevra:** I promise to tell you when the end happens... (by wrapping it up means I'm heading towards the end). It took me ages to figure out why she was in WP

On with the good stuff!

* * *

Some time later found the Alex leaning on the doorframe to Charlotte's room like he had many times in the past, watching the two girls sleep. His eyes took in the blonde hair that lay splayed out on the pillow and the brown hair that was neatly braided. He thought it was ironic, thinking of two other girls with brown and blonde hair. It seemed the next generation had reversed the roles of their elders.

He snorted, thinking it over once more. It seemed that Claire and Tess had swapped roles themselves. He thought back to the two women sitting on the veranda when he first arrived. Always the typical Aussie male, it had taken him some time to realise just what was different about his Claire. Sure, he'd noticed the longer hair, and slightly older, more worn look in her eyes. Nevertheless, eventually, it hit him. She seemed to have morphed into her sister from when Tess had first arrived- the hair, the make-up, the tight top and jeans. She seemed to have walked out of the trendy magazines that Lottie wasn't supposed to be interested in at her age or with her personality, but he still bought for her because she asked him to and, let's face it, she'd always had him wrapped around her little pinkie since … well, since she was born. Tess these days didn't really own any skirts or dresses, with the exception of one Nick had said he liked, and her wedding dress, plus a few hidden in the back of her closet.

His mind returned to the children in front of him. The bear that usually took residence on Charlotte's bookcase had managed to sneak its way into her arms. He wondered briefly what it was that had made the small girl uneasy, what had made her subconsciously reach out for the link to her mother that she hadn't needed since she was four. He looked towards his other daughter, searching for the bear she had introduced to him earlier. He located him, sitting unceremoniously on his head, next to her mattress. Alex left his post by the door, stooping his large frame down to carefully place the bear back with his mistress. He would have brushed stray hairs from her face, but even in her sleep, the small child was as neat as a pin. He stood up again, careful not to wake her and noticed the other figure in the doorway.

"I thought I'd find you here." Tess took a small step into the room. She paused and picked up a small t-shirt from the floor, folding it carefully before placing it on the chair in the corner of the room.

"Did you know?" The question was blunt and harsh and he regretted it the moment it was out of his mouth.

"That Claire was pregnant?" Tess paused, thinking. "I thought about it. It crossed my mind a couple of days before she di-… before the accident." She sighed, motioning for him to follow her out of the room. "It wasn't really something that warranted thought after that. I spent so much time afterwards trying to see what I could have done for it to crop up later." She shut the door carefully, not wanting to have to answer any questions from the two later. "It's all a bit hard to get your head around, isn't it?"

Alex let out a sarcastic laugh. "Which part?"

"At least I now know what she felt like when I turned up here after Jack died."

"Only probably a hundred times worse. She didn't think you were dead."

* * *

Claire awoke, jetlag disrupting what would have otherwise have been a restless sleep. It was strange, being back. She kept noticing little things she had forgotten. Like the smell of the house. It wasn't simply mould like Tess had first suggested. There was more to it than that. Stale air, boot polish and mahogany, along with the underlying smell of manure. Over a century of horse riders had to have tracked something of the outside world in, no matter how carefully the housekeepers had tried to prevent its entrance.

After some time of tossing and turning, she detected what she thought was a quiet whimper in the stillness of the darkened house. She arose, intent of comforting the afraid child, although she was worried as to how Bom would react if she woke to find a stranger in her room.

Her fears were quelled when she arrived at the room the housed both her daughters and saw them both peacefully asleep.

"What are you going to do?" A voice asked quietly from the doorway. "What are you going to tell them?"

"Honestly, I don't know." She turned to face her father. "I don't know what's best for them."

"That's what parenting is all about." He seemed lost in the past. "Marrying Ruth was one of the hardest decisions I had to make and despite all the pain we went through, she gave me Tess and happy memories of the two of you, if only for a few years."

There was a long silence, as the two of them thought of what they had missed out on.

"You're not going to tell me what to do, are you?"

"I think you wouldn't be back here if you didn't know already."

She just snorted. Stubborn old bugger set in his ways and opinions. "Since you know so much Dad, how do I tell her?"

"You're her mother. You'll work it out." He turned to leave.

"How do I know she'll believe me?" She called after him.

He smiled back at his daughter before answering. "You'll be surprised how much she's capable of."

He left her there, a contemplative expression on her face.

* * *

**A/N:** And I'm going to leave it there, allowing you to ask yourself the following question: "Is Jack still alive or not?" 


	13. Jack's Returns

Jack's Returns 

**Disclaimer:** They don't belong to me... yada yada yada. They're being borrowed and will be returned... yada yada yada. I don't profit monetry wise and trying to prove so would cost you more than you'd gain... yada yada yada.

**A/N:** So, I thought about making Jack actually Tom from chap one... but it sounds too cliché and I don't generally do cliché. Plus, then I'd have to write about how everyone reacts to Jack being alive, and this is so close to the ending already that I thought I should finish it sometime this year. Oh, and this should be the last appearance of Natalie rather than Claire. I hope.

Wow, only two reviews... am I loosing my touch here?

**CSIcrazy:** Great that you loved it, sorry you had to go to bed... that sucks! I wanted a longer review pout

**genevra:** Ahhh, Go the blonde moments! Yeah, took your advice. Makes my life simpler. Now, how long do you consider too long?

* * *

The sun shone through the window and across her face, waking her slowly with its warmth. She heard the muffled sounds of the early morning waking of Drovers and slowly opened her eyes to find a small person staring at her from the doorway.

"Good morning sweetheart." She said, allowing herself a moment to live as Charlotte's mother. "How'd you sleep?"

The small child made her way slowly over to the bed, cautious of the suitcase that was haphazardly sprawled beside the bed. She clambered up onto the highset bed, and snuggled up to Natalie and didn't reply.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Natalie asked, revelling in the feeling of her small daughter once again in her arms.

Charlotte pondered for a moment, in that way seven year olds do best.

"It worked, didn't it?" She asked the confused Claire.

"What worked?"

"My wish."

"Which wish would that be?" Natalie asked, amused.

"My birthday wish. You're my mum aren't you?"

* * *

A stunned Claire could be found, minutes later, clutching onto her small daughter, still stunned. 'Thank you dad.' She thought to herself, glad (not for the first time) that some part of her father had survived within her, and was still strong enough to maintain his life and personality through manifestations.

The first time he'd appeared, she'd almost driven the car of the road in shock. She'd gotten angry again with him, about him leaving half the farm to her little sister who had left them both behind so long ago. He'd sat there and taken every word, waiting until she'd run out of steam, and began crying. Jack had explained that it wasn't entirely fair, but couldn't she remember all the nights she'd wished for her little sister to be there, all the tears she'd cried before closing herself off to the pain, and the love. He'd reminded her of all the little things they had done as sisters, the days they'd spent rambling around the property, or holed up in his study while he tried to work.

He'd appeared again, the day she "died", as the police (who'd responded to her panic button call) had strapped her into the stretcher, and prepared to winch her into the chopper, replacing her body with a fake. He'd looked at her, and whispered that it was all going to be okay. One day, she'd be able to return, and her sister would have her baby, safe and sound. She'd return, and it would all be okay.

Jack had appeared once more in her life, soon after Michelle was born. Tom had just finished assuring her that once everything was over, they'd be able to rush the baby's birth records through the system, but until then, she needed to choose a name that wouldn't be suspicious, that had no connections with her past.

After Tom left, she'd gazed down at her daughter, knowing that her life had just got more complex; her identity had just gained another dimension. Another complication. She starred into the eyes that resembled his so much and quietly thanked whoever it was who was responsible for this turn of events for this small consolation, this small gift, this small reminder and wept. Jack arrived that moment, and she knew he couldn't just be a ghost, because this was not where he belonged. He belonged back in Australia with her other daughter. He'd reminded her of the day she got "married" to Alex, and in that moment, she'd chosen. Alex was still not proud of his middle name, and the less people who knew, the better he reckoned.

* * *

"Mummy?" A small voice asked from the doorway. The usually confident voice held a small amount of jealousy and worry.

"Morning baby girl." Checking to see that Bom was once again asleep, Natalie left her older daughter. "We need to talk." She told Michelle, in a voice that offered no room for comments or rejection of the idea.

They made their way into the sun filled room that had occupied two sisters the night before. "Remember, on the plane, I was looking at some photos?"

"Yes Mummy." The usually cheerful and talkative child seemed to have disappeared.

"Do you remember the picture of the baby?"

"Yes mummy."

"Well, the baby is Charlotte." Natalie was somewhat hesitant as to how to continue this. She was unsure of whether her younger daughter would take the change as well as the elder had.

However, the natural curiosity Michelle had inherited from both her parents won over any jealousy the child might have still housed. "Why do you have a photo of Charlotte?"

"Because, baby-girl, she's my daughter."

"But Charlotte's mummy is dead. She told me." Natalie had to smile. Her daughter's total trust of the word of someone she had only met was still cute. She hoped the child would eventually grow out her gullibility before it got her into trouble later on in life. "You're not dead, are you mummy?"

"Well baby-girl, it's a bit more complicated than that. How about I explain it to you after breakfast?" When the youngster smiled and nodded, Natalie stood, and motioned towards the door. "Why don't you go and wake Charlotte, and then we'll go and see if anyone else wants pancakes."

"Okay mummy." The once-more cheerful girl left the room. "Does that mean we're going to stay here? With Daddy and Charlotte?"

Natalie smiled before answering. "I don't know sweetie. But I hope so." She watched the small girl leave the room, and listened to the squeal as one child woke the other. "I really hope so."

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, I did get the idea for the wish from Tess. Wonderful, wonderful ep that was. Any ideas as to what to change the title to? 


	14. Breakfast

Breakfast 

**Disclaimer:** Well, I don't own Vegemite… bummer! Imagine the royalties…

**A/N:** So, the first two paragraphs took about a month… paragraph after took a week, the rest sort of just flowed… But in the wrong direction… ARGH!

**genevra**: Nice to know you have my attention spam... Which episode? Huh? Em is confused... Updated... just not soon... as usual...

**Gypsy Nash**: glad you like... i like reviews!

**NZFan**: And yet another for you... Yes, I thought that since Michelle had her cute part, BOM deserved one too.

* * *

The small family of three sat down for breakfast, having slept past the rest of the household, who seemed to have tactfully disappeared into the woodwork and left the mother and two daughters alone.

Claire watched her small daughters get to know each other. She watched as Michelle looked on in awe at what Charlotte knew about horses. Claire was somewhat surprised herself at her daughters knowledge. Although her head had spent years telling her heart that Charlotte was no longer a small child that needed her care and nourishment, her heart had never quite believed it.

A car pulled up outside as Claire was beginning to consider how to get maple syrup stains off of the wooden table without having to strip and re-stain the wood. The cheaper price of real maple syrup was one thing that she had loved about living in America. The readily available sap had become one of her favourite breakfast toppings. She fully intended to have some shipped over regularly, like she had had Tom do with the Vegemite.

A body walked through the door just as she was filling the sink to wash up. There was a clearing of a throat from the doorway, and she turned to find the one person who had known her whereabouts staring at her, trying to take in the change in appearance.

"Becky!" Came the excited cry from Charlotte.

As her big sister ran and hugged the blonde, Claire found Michelle tightly wrapped around her leg. Bending down to pick up her smaller daughter, Claire faced the girl who had known the entire story of Peter and been sworn to secrecy during their fleeting visit before Claire flew out of the country to begin her new life, with her new child.

Becky mirrored Claire's actions, picking up the child who was beginning to become too heavy for any of them to pick up.

"My God Natalie, she's gotten so big!"

Seeing the confused look on both her daughter's faces, Claire sighed. "It's okay Beck. They both know." She turned her attention to the child in her arms. "Michelle, sweetie, you know Lambie?" Once the overwhelmed child nodded, she continued. "She came from Mummy's old friend Becky here, when you were born."

"Becky?" A small voice piped up.

"Yes Charlotte?"

"Where's David?"

"He's here with me sweetheart." Came a new, male voice.

A panicky look crossed Claire's face as she recognised the voice. For a split second, she contemplated running and hiding, like she had when she was younger, but resisted the urge.

"I didn't realise you had company…" Harry began, before recognition swept over his face. As his face began to pale, Becky reached for the baby within his arm, and gently helped him into his seat.

"Michelle, would you and Charlotte like to come outside and hold David?" Becky asked, watching as Claire filled a glass with tank water.

The two girls nodded enthusiastically, and ran from the room, after an okay nod from their mother.

As Claire handed Jack the glass, he reached up and placed his hand on her arm. "What are you doing here Claire?"

'Okay, so maybe two people knew…'

"Who told you Harry?" Claire knew she shouldn't be mad, it was one less person she had to explain it to, but the fact he knew could have endangered her and Michelle while it was still possible for them to be endangered.

"No-one told me." He took his hand off of her arm, and gratefully took a swig of water. "I saw a chopper leave from the bottom paddock later that evening. The only conclusion I could reach was that for some reason, someone had been holed up down there, in the old hut. The only reason someone would take off without lights at that time of night would be for some emergency that no-one could know about. When I heard nothing about it from Drover's, I assumed that for some reason that we didn't know of, you were not dead and for some reason were making everyone think you were."

He looked at her face for the first time and saw the worry in her eyes. "Don't look at me like that Claire McLeod!" He took another drink from his glass before continuing. "I realised that since no-one knew and that since someone had gone to the trouble of replacing your body, that it must be something serious."

She'd known him for too long. "And you didn't tell anyone?"

"Come on Claire, give an old man some credit." She looked at him hard and he grinned sheepishly. "Had I heard anything to suggest that someone else may have known, I was willing to share. No-one did, so I've been waiting for you to return."

"You knew I'd be back?"

"You love Alex. You love Bom. You love this property." He sighed, sipping from his glass again. "You'd be back, even if I was wrong."

Claire noticed that there was no past tense. She almost angered at his calm and confident attitude.

"I know you as if you were my own daughter Claire." He said quietly, before continuing to himself- 'As I hope you one day will be.'

Unbeknown to him, she was thinking the same thing.

* * *

****

A/N: I think that's the only chap I've EVER done without breaks!


	15. Comfort From The Stranges Place

COMFORT FROM THE STRANGEST PLACE

**Spoilers:** Not much that's big. There's one in the A/N and a small reference to various stuff. So, probably end of season... 4. I think. But if you don't know then it's not really a huge part of the story.

**A/N:** So, did you guys see? The writers decided to take up the idea I had in Letters (Meg's Letter to be exact) of making Jodi Jack's daughter. ARGH! Has this happened to anyone else?

**CSIcrazy:** Wow, two months and three days can't really be considered soon, can it? Dang! Oh, and I'll check out the fic ... After the HSC.

**NZFan:** Just a random thought, ever thought of getting an account? I'm not complaining mind. Alex and Claire... Next chapter. Just didn't make it into this one.

**genevra:** As Promised. Since you enjoyed them last time, here they are again. Yeah, and I'll fix that... eventually.

* * *

"Mummy! Mummy!" A small voice broke the silence created after the insight. Harry looked impressed that it had only taken Charlotte a few hours to start calling Claire "mum", then realised that it only sounded like Bom.

"Yes 'Chelley?"

"Can we have a baby like David?"

Harry resisted the urge to laugh. 'Just like Tess,' he thought. 'Blunt, to the point and extremely unexpected! Will be interesting to see how Claire hands it.'

Claire, however, was able to cope with the question better than he. She motioned the small girl to come and sit on her lap. "Well, sweetie, don't you think it's enough that you've just got yourself a big sister and aunt and uncle not to mention your dad?"

Michelle's lip fell. "I suppose… but can we have one tomorrow?"

There was a pause. Claire was not going to have _that_ discussion with her not-yet six-year-old daughter in front of the one man who was the closest she still had to a dad, let alone the same man who had not yet found out he did have a third grandchild, though had he been paying attention he should have realised.

Becky appeared in the doorway, baby in arms and leaned against the doorframe, clearly amused. It never ceased to amaze her what people came up with to escape telling their children what it was they wanted to know. She was not disappointed.

Claire smoothly changed the subject. "Talking of her, where is Charlotte?" She pointed her question towards Becky.

'God, you've gotten good Claire', she thought, before answering. "She's gone upstairs to get dressed."

Claire looked at her younger daughter, not surprised to find every hair in place. "Why don't you go find her and we'll all go out for a look at all the lambs?"

After a nod, Michelle ran out of the kitchen and those remaining could hear her feet pounding their way up the staircase, in search of the sister she was beginning to worship.

"She's amazing Claire. How'd Alex take the news?" She looked at him startled. "That he's going to have a second stepdaughter?"

"Presuming much Harry?" She almost giggled.

"He was going to propose Claire. He hasn't really seen anyone since. And I'm fairly sure he never got over loosing you. I think that some part of him knew you'd be back."

"That wasn't quite what I meant, though it's comforting, just the same." She took a deep breath, not sure of how he was going to react. "You see, the thing is, Michelle won't be his step-daughter." Harry opened his mouth to argue, "No Harry, let me finish. She's his daughter, whether or not we end up together."

* * *

There was a silence as the news sank in. Claire looked towards Harry to find silent tears streaming down his cheek.

"I have another grandchild?"

"Biologically, no, but since Dad died I've kinda thought that maybe you'd be interested in playing the role."

"Despite having a son who's younger than her?"

She grinned before answering- "Can I help it if Sandra has weird taste in men?" At his shocked look she continued- "What? You think that I didn't know?"

"No, I was more worried you'd decide to shoot her."

Becky walked in the door at that moment- "No, we only shoot blokes here, don't we Claire?" She asked, referring to the much earlier incident of Brian. "Is it okay if I use you're room Claire? David is getting cranky."

"Why'd you bother asking Beck? I'm sure you used it before I got back, why stop now?" As the younger woman left, Claire turned to Harry once again. "I used to check the classifieds every now and then. I checked them during the stopover in Sydney. Please offer Sandra my congratulations."

"Are you serious? You two hate each others guts!" Harry grinned. "You're not the only one with insight Claire. I have it, I just don't usually use it."

"Well, one thing I learnt through all of this is, that are many things worse than anything Sandra ever did, or could do, to hurt me."

"Like?"

"For God's sake Harry, I died. I left my baby girl, my sister, the love of my life, the country I love, my dream of breeding horses and ended up in the middle of NOWHERE in goddamn Yankee land. I don't know about you, but that was definitely not in any of my plans for my future.

"I missed so many things. I missed her first Christmas; I missed her first ride... I've missed so many firsts it's not funny." Claire's rant ended in tears.

* * *

Outside the door, a stunned Alex stood, hit front on by the revelations she presented.

After first considering filling the need to comfort her, he peeked around the corner and saw Harry comforting Claire. He left, quietly enough, heading for the cellar. He descended the stairs, making his way to the box in the corner. Picked it up, carrying it upstairs to her room, where he carefully laid every photo album, diary and video out on her bed in sequence.

He made the short walk to his brother and sister-in-law's room, removing their television and video, before setting it up on the dresser.

He stood in the doorway, looking over his work until a small voice called him, when he promptly closed the door, and headed down to his girls, confident that this small gesture wouldn't go as astray as the desk had.

* * *

**A/N: ** Did you see my very subtle reference to _Sound Of Music_… yeah, Em is slightly obsessed with that movie… just a tad! As always feedback is loved... dearly! So, any you have, please click the little button. And I hope to have another chapter soon, but the key word there is HOPE. 


	16. Deal Or No Deal?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: - DEAL OR NO DEAL? 

**Disclaimer:** Do not own the game show on Channel Seven, nor do I own deep breath: Meg, Terry, Tess, Nick, Alex, Claire, Charlotte, Jodi, Harry, Jack, Stevie, Luke, Sandra, Becky, Dave or Kate, (though only the first eight appear in this chapter, and the ninth and tenth are only mentioned). I own the story idea (NOTE TO CHANNEL NINE) and Michelle. Oh, and Tom. Who may or may not appear in later chapters.

**A/N:** Gets down off soap box This has GOT to be the quickest I've written another chatper. I finished this less than three hours after posting Chap 15. Seriously!

* * *

Several hours later, Claire made her way upstairs, more affected by the jetlag than she had first thought. Mind you, all the searching after lambs had been harder than she remembered. She was so out of shape for this life these days. All she wanted now was to fall onto the bed and sleep for a few hours.

The moment she opened the door, she found that was impossible. Someone appeared to have decided to use her bed for unpacking.

She was about to shout at anyone and everyone when she saw that it appeared to be a collection of photo albums. She moved towards the bed, unsure as to what she would find.

The album closest to her was the one she herself had started when she found out she was pregnant with Charlotte.

"I heard you talking to Harry." A soft, male voice said from the doorway. "I remembered that Tess had Nick put these into the cellar. I thought you might wanna look at them." He noticed she was crying again. Self-doubt filled him as he rushed to her side. "I'm sorry Claire. I just thought that you'd like to see all her firsts, and some seconds, thirds etc." He hugged her to him. "I've done it again, haven't I? Like I did with the desk."

She raised her head from where it was buried in his chest. She smiled up at him weakly. "It's okay Alex. In fact, it's more than okay. It's perfect."

She grabbed the first album, wiping her tears away with the heel of her hand.

"Tell me about the pictures Alex."

* * *

The two of them spent the next two hours going through the albums. Meg was about to serve dinner and realised that no one had seen Claire for a while. She headed up the stairs, looking. Something had stopped her from shouting out to the world that she was looking for Claire. When she reached the closed door, she heard hushed voices, including her own. 

She pressed her ear to the door, listening intently. There were squeals of small children, loud voices of various adults she could recognise and a soft conversation between male and female voice.

Meg turned and left, heading down the stairs with a smile on her face.

* * *

It was not until they had to get up and turn on the lights that the two of them stopped and realised the time. For once in his life, Alex's stomach had not called for its regular feed. 

The two of them stumbled down the stairs together, both feeling quite melancholy and regaining feeling in limbs that had been held in the one position for too long.

They followed the stream of light out onto the veranda. A small body flung itself in their direction.

"Daddy! Mummy!" Cried the usually shy Michelle. Noticing that only one body had been flung against his, Alex looked around for Charlotte.

The small blonde was sitting, curled in a ball, just out of reach of the light. He moved himself over to her, blocking out the garble of Michelle, and ignorant to the looks passing between the adults.

"Bom?" He asked, cautiously. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!" She shouted, lurching upwards and running away from the group.

'Oh God.' Claire thought. She recognised that tone, that stance. She'd had it when she found out about Ruth, and again after baby Tess came home.

Meg rose, having seen it all before and recognising a full-blown tantrum when she saw one. "I'll go," she said, as they began to protest. "You two have some dinner."

As Meg walked slowly in the direction Charlotte had taken, Jodi cleared an area on the table and Tess grabbed the wrapped plates from the fridge.

"Hey, Michelle, isn't about bath time for you?" Nick asked, knowing the adults would need a chance to talk, and not particularly wanting to have to be part of it.

Michelle had other ideas. Whether she was inspired by her sister or just feeling generally grumpy, she wasn't open to the idea. "No!" She said, with emphasis, but nowhere near as loud as she could have.

"Really? Well, what about I show you the special bath we have here and you and Charlotte could have your bath in the morning, just this once?" Michelle looked at him, intrigued. "It's outside. It's really cool. And we can look at the stars on our way."

That last bit made the deal. Even though she had lived in rural America, it was nowhere near as clear at night as the sky at Drovers.

The two of them left, small hand in a larger one, heading in the opposite direction to that which Meg, and earlier Charlotte, had taken.

* * *

Meg found Charlotte curled up in the corner of one of the horse stalls. Albert, the usual sole occupier, looked on undisturbed by the small child. 

Meg let herself in, placing herslef next to the small child.

"I hate them."

Meg placed her hand on the child's head, allowing her to clamber into her lap.

"Why?" That startled Lottie. She had expected some comment about it not being right to hate people.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. SHE," Charlotte spat the word, "wasn't supposed to come too."

"Michelle?" Meg hugged Bom closer to her. "I thoguht you liked Michelle."

"That was before she stole them away from me."

"Stole who?"

"Uncle Alex and **MY** Mum." Bom paused, her voice heavy with tears. "I hate them all."

Meg fought a war within herself, unsure as to how to continue. She sat there, letting the tears soak her shirt. "Oh sweetie. Do you know what happened when your Grandpa Jack bought home your Auntie Tess the first time?" The head on her chest shook, vigorously. "Your mum was so upset, she wouldn't talk to any of us for a week." The child in her arms tensed at the mention of one of THOSE people. "She used to sit in her room, with a chair across the door, so we couldn't come in. At night, or when she realised we weren't in the house, she's sneak out and grab some food from the fridge and run back to her room." Meg smiled at the memory. "We didn't think she'd last a day, that she'd get bored. But that mum of yours is stubborn, just like you.

"She snuck out of the room one time, and when she did, we snuck Tess into her room. We put her on the bed, and left. Your mum ran back into her room, and didn't even think to shut the door behind her. All she could think of was this little baby sister of hers on her bed, smiling at her, trusting her."

"But Michelle isn't a baby."

"No, she isn't, but she's your baby sister." Meg let that thought sink in, before continuing. "How about we make a deal, just you and me?" There was no protest, so Meg continued. "How about you go back to the house, for tonight and tomorrow, and if you still hate them the day after that, you can come and live with me and Terry."

Bom smiled. She liked Terry. She liked Meg and she really liked their house. She always got lollies and cookies there. "Really?"

"Sure. But only if you really can't live with your mum and Michelle and Aunty Tess and Uncle Nick." She looked down, with her 'serious face'. "Deal?"

"Deal!" They shook hands.

"Now, missy Charlotte. How about you help an old woman up, and we'll go and see if there's any ice-cream."

"With sprinkles?"

"Would I feed you anything else?"

* * *

**A/N:** Dang, that tantrum wasn't supposed to happen yet! This Bom, she has a mind of her own! So is anyone new reading this? I love feedback, even negetive stuff. 


	17. Conversations

**Disclaimer:** Don't own. Won't ever. Borrowing.

**A/N:** So, wow, Emily is going all guns! Three chaps in what, four days? Wow... Hoping not that many of you have died from shock.

**CSIcrazy**: Nah, haven't read most recent. Unless its an evil!susie/Jonesy one, I won't. Well, I'm surfing the muse's wave

**Miki**: I'm so glad you love it so much! I dunno about heaps more, but if you review earlier chaps coughhintcough then there may be more for the muse's to work with...

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:- CONVERSATIONS:

* * *

Jodi had tactfully left, claiming she needed to meet Luke. Stevie was camping the night with the stock, Kate and Dave had already left for their place, and Terry was feeling crook, so that left just the three of them.

"I was hoping this wouldn't happen." Claire's voice cut through the relative silence. "I thought it'd be Michelle, but she seems to have taken it all in her stride."

Tess looked towards her big sister, on some level still amazed that her Claire was alive, and back. "I don't think she's ever chucked a tantrum."

Claire bit back a laugh. "Neither did I, until you came along."

Tess did laugh. "I don't think they're called tantrum's when you're over twenty Claire."

"That's not what she meant, is it Claire?" Alex asked. "I didn't like it when Harry bought mum and Nick home from the hospital. Nick was interesting, when he was in the hospital, but when he got home, he trod in my territory." He smiled, sadly. "Hasn't stopped, really."

"So what do we do?" Asked Tess because, despite all the things she had picked up from her mother, this was unchartered territory.

"We watch them. And we wait."

"And hope they sort it out themselves." Alex finished.

* * *

The group on the veranda watched the small child with blonde hair lead the woman who's blonde was beginning to grey.

Claire stood, unsure of how to act, and what was coming. Meg shook her head, slightly, and followed Charlotte into the house. The two soon reappeared, laden with ice-cream, sprinkles, spoons and bowls. After serving everyone, Charlotte excused herself, heading inside to do… well she didn't say, and they didn't ask.

The adults looked at Meg, expectant. "Well, she's not too happy with you, Alex and Michelle, Claire. I think she had a wish as to what would happen when you came back and that's not what's happening."

"So what'd you do?" Claire asked, knowing the woman well.

"We made a deal. If she still hates you all in two days time, she's going to come and live with me and Terry." She saw their shocked looks. "You don't think I'll cope?" She pointed to Tess and Claire. "I raised the two of you for some years, I've raised Jodi and been there for all of Bom's life. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve still."

* * *

After the two small girls had fallen into a fitful sleep, Claire stood in the doorway, unsure of where her life was going. It broke her heart that one of her daughters hated her.

Meg came up behind her and gave her a hug.

"What if she still hates us then? What if she doesn't forgive us?"

"She doesn't hate you." Meg paused. "She's just hurt and confused. It may take her some time, but she'll find out that living with me isn't always as good as it seems." Claire laughed. "And she'll find that it's not as bad as she thought. She's always wanted someone to play with."

"I'm sorry." Said Claire, realising now what she had put the older woman, Ruth and her father through.

"It's okay. We understood. You needed time, and you got it. It's the same with Charlotte. She'll need some time." Meg looked into the room. "I'm worried about Michelle though. She's always only had you, and now she's got to share you not only with Bom, but with all us and Alex." Meg shot Claire a sly smile.

Claire shook her head with a smile. "Why are you all pushing us?"

"It took you so long last time, and we all ignored it, tried to let you figure it out yourselves. We don't want to watch you both go through all that again."

Claire wasn't entirely convinced. "What if it's been too long? What if it doesn't work? I can't do that to them. I can't put them through what Tess and I went through."

Meg gave her a one armed hug. "I can't promise it'll all be roses and rainbows, it never has been for anyone and never will be. The problem with Jack and Ruth was that they were too alike and yet didn't agree on anything. Everything that happened, each of them had to have their own way, not the others."

"And you didn't help?" There was no accusation in her tone, unlike what might have been there years earlier.

"No, it didn't help. Mind you, Jack and I weren't an item until after Ruth left." She took a deep breath. "Jack may have been a lot of things, but he wasn't a cheater." Her tone indicated that the discussion was over. Claire didn't ask, but had the feeling that there was more to the story.

She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know.

* * *

**A/N2:** Well, you're gonna have to wait until after the next ep at least until the next chap. I've got some ideas as to stuff... to do with the whole $100000 and why Kev and Ruth left. Shall see where they go. 


	18. Sister To Sister

Conversations 

**Disclaimer**: Well, I don't own Happy Meals, or the book Black Beauty (although I am the same religion as the authoress was). I also don't own the common character from the television show. I own Michelle, baby David and these pants that I'm wearing.

**A/N:** So, never really tried writing Nick before. Had problems. Then had problems with other males. Why are they so hard to write? Was also waiting for the end of S5 so I could finish.

**SPOILER ALERT:** From season five finale.

**Sandra**: Anytime you want to review those old chaps you read, feel free! I likes reviews  
**genevra:** Gah, evil parental! Sorry, waiting again... oh well, you know me! Yay, glad to see the ameture psychology worked! Yes, Channel Nine should pay me royalties! I promise to become more AC centric soon  
**Kay Edgar**: I know where its going to end, but not when...  
**NZFan/Marie**: Loving your fic has made me write more...  
**CSIcrazy/Jess**: I love writing Meg! Glad you like my writing of her!

* * *

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I used to charge Alex a slab of beer." She turned and smiled. "Whatever happened to us Nick? What happened to Jack and Harry's plan?" She leaned against the closed door. "What would have happened if Tess hadn't turned up again?"

"We would have made a go of it." He looked towards her, feeling awkward, all of their original easiness evaporated. "We would have ended up miserable, but we'd have tried."

"I thought I was in love with you."

"I sense a 'but' coming." His subtle humour was still as effective, unexpected and welcome as it had always been.

"I think all it ever was, was the dream, mixed with substituting one brother for the other."

"You couldn't have Alex, but you could have me?"

"Something like that."

"Are you still in love with him?"

She seriously considered telling him, answering his question.

"It's complicated. It took us so long last time, and then we had such a short amount of time together. What if it wasn't meant to be?"

"You want to talk to him first, don't you?"

She laughed. "You really are a SNAG aren't you?"

"So Tess says."

* * *

An hour later, Jodi was pacing the rooms she and Luke shared. Kate and Dave had offered to build a duplex when they had built their house, and allow Jodi to live in the other half. She had considered it, before remembering the old plan of knocking a wall through the shearers' quarters that was abruptly interrupted.

It hadn't taken long to convert the several separate rooms into several rooms that were able to be used together, not as a house per say, but more as a freestanding flat.

Although many of the nights of a week were spent with the two of them apart, with Luke's work in town, and her work on Drovers, the two were making the relationship work, despite the early disruptions and the distance, both when he left, and now that he was back. Alex and Nick had offered him a position on Wilgul, but Luke's heart was still in mechanics. While the distance thing was working, the two of them felt no need to change.

Jodi had spent a lot of time staying busy in the early days- painting, decorating, cleaning and various other things to make the rooms a home. More recently she had spent the time cooking or babysitting to help Tess and Nick.

Now she had a lot of nervous energy to work off. Should she or shouldn't she? Would she or wouldn't she?

She found a small pile of unfolded clothes in the "laundry". On one hand, it had been hidden for so many years, what would a few more days matter? On the other, Claire had a right to know.

Jodi resumed her pacing. Claire and Michelle had too much on their plate at the moment, it wasn't fair to place another bombshell in their laps. Then again, it would come out, it had before, and wasn't it best to come from someone involved, rather than some stranger, in shock?

"You'll wear a hole in the carpet, and you know we only just afforded to put that in last time."

Jodi's head whipped towards the door. "You're not supposed to be back until tomorrow Luke!" She engulfed him in a huge hug, which he received willingly.

"Meg thought you might need some company."

* * *

Dave found Alex, sitting out in the stables, looking over Charlotte's pony, Black Beauty. It was a strange name for a suspiciously brown horse, but when named by a three year old, on whom they all doted, what else would have been logical? There had been tears at the time, as they told Bom she couldn't name the pony Happy Meal, and when she had finally calmed down enough to suggest this new name, the adults were worn down enough to allow it. The name had stuck, ironic as it was.

The protective streak Alex harboured for Charlotte had reared its head, doubled now with his own daughter thrown into the mix.

"How're you holding up?" Dave asked, moving himself into the stall, and stroking Black Beauty's face.

"I'm okay."

"I was talking to BB, wasn't I girl?" The comment earned him a slap across the back of his head. "And even if I was talking to you, which I'm not, you wouldn't convince me mate."

"It's all a bit of a shock really. I mean, I wasn't sure she was dead and all, but I didn't really expect her to be coming back. Then the bastard died two years ago and I thought- 'Great, he's gone and she can come back' and I waited, for six months, for some sign, a letter or phone call or even posting on some website." He leant his back against the stall wall. "I heard nothing, and thought maybe I was wrong. Then she turns up here, with the only warning a call from Lottie, unaware what she was saying. I tell you, had Natalie turned out to actually be some friend of Tess' from way back, I don't think I would have recovered.

"And then there was the moment I saw Michelle, and thought 'Oh God, she's moved on. She doesn't love me anymore, she's met someone.' Tell you what mate, these next couple of days are going to be hard, especially with Lottie and her tantrum." He shook his head. "Sometimes I don't know why I bother with Claire's daughter… daughters. They're worse than she was growing up."

Dave looked at his mate. "You do realise, that if we were female, now would be the time we started crying together, don't you?"

Alex smiled. "Thank god we're not then, huh?"

Dave gave Black Beauty one last pat, turning to leave. "You'll be right mate, give it some time."

"That's what I'm afraid of. What if we don't have time? What if something happens, like it did last time, and we're not okay before it?"

"Then get off your arse quicker this time."

* * *

Tess made her way across to what used to be the shearers quarters, pausing when she saw a familiar ute parked out the front. She looked across the brown earth, considering how long it would take her to "pop over" to Dave and Kate's.

Luke came to the door, fully dressed, and not in the least ruffled. "Come on in Tess." He reached for a jacket, "I'm going for a walk Jodi. Nice to see you Tess, I'd stick around, but I think the two of you have some things you need to talk about, sister to sister."

* * *

**AN:** So, if anyone has an idea for title for this chap, or the last (and any reviews) they're most welcome! 


	19. The Family NotSoSecret

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. World would be brighter, with more emphasis on the whole country living thing.

**A/N:** So, just a short chapter. It seemed an appropriate spot to stop and I figured I've been AWOL for too long.

**NZFan:** I'm happy you're happy with the Jodi-being-McLeod inclusion. Wasn't too sure about it myself  
**Straycat:** Glad to see that it wasn't obvious. I've had the idea for soo long that its nice have a fresh pair of eyes  
**CSIcrazy:** I told you I'd write more. Lol. Glad its not just me that laughs through this.  
**Momo:** Welcome aboard!  
**trsshh**: I'm hoping Alex and Claire will take the advice too. Because, otherwise, I'm going to be writing this still in ten years time!  
**Meggie...**: Claire will react... soon. I promise. I even know how she's gonna react.  
**Genevra:** What? No review? Emi is upset. Hope you're okay.

* * *

TEN THINGS NOT TO DO WITH THE FAMILY NOT-SO-SECRET

_Luke came to the door, fully dressed, and not in the least ruffled. "Come on in Tess." He reached for a jacket, "I'm going for a walk Jodi. Nice to see you Tess, I'd stick around, but I think the two of you have some things you need to talk about, sister to sister."_

Tess waited until Luke had disappeared out of the bright circle of the house and into the darkness. "How are we going to tell her?"

Jodi was surprised. "You think we should tell her?"

"She has as much right as me to know what's going on in her life here. Plus, the sooner we tell her, the less chance there is for someone else to spring the news on her." Tess took a deep breath. "When we lost the baby, I was so glad to have you there. To have some family, as shallow minded as that sounds." Jodi looked surprised. "Don't get me wrong, I loved having Stevie there… she'd been through some of it before. But I was grateful you to have someone who had the same blood flowing through their veins."

"When?"

"Now." Tess thought for a moment. "Or as close to now as we can get, I suppose."

* * *

Claire was still shook up. The idea that one daughter might possibly hate the other had, of course, entered her mind. She just didn't expect it yet. She was slowly reacquainting herself with the property. It wasn't as if the lay of the land had changed, but there were new structures, different paddock contents, less fences. She laughed at the fact that Tess had managed to cut down the amount of disliked fence checks.

She saw a figure in the darkness, drifting randomly like she was. The figure looked familiar but she couldn't quite place it. Hands in pockets, Luke looked somewhat different to what he had when Natalie had last seen him. Whereas in the servo he was in his element, here he was nervous, unsure.

Luke saw Natalie, and moved towards her. He wasn't sure what it was about this woman that meant the balance on the Run was upset, but something had. Meg hadn't said anything over the phone (the woman wasn't one to gossip) but he had enough sense in his head to put the arrival of this strange woman together with Jodi's needing support and had gotten a jackpot.

"Luke?" Claire asked, surprised and shocked.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, once again, he had failed to see how close the woman had gotten.

"Yeah. Natalie isn't it?"

Claire contained the laugh that threatened to erupt at the irrationality of the situation.

"Yes and at the same time no." Luke looked confused. 'Well who wouldn't?' Claire thought to herself. "I wasn't expecting to see you out here."

"Sorry, I should have explained earlier, at the servo. I'm kinda living with Jodi. She's Tess' half-sister." In the dark, he was unable to read Claire's face. "What did you mean, by being and not being Natalie?"

"Ummm…" Claire's voice was shaky. "I'm Natalie Durham but I'm also Claire. Claire McLeod. Tess' sister."

'Oh Fuck'. Luke thought.

* * *

**A/N: **Wow, that wasn't meant to happen! Luke wasn't meant to spill the beans. Suggestions as to where to take this are DEFINATELY going to be accepted, worshipped and possibly written. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** Don't own, wish I did. The show concept came from the wonderful Posie Graeme (sp?) and she must retain all credit for the concept.  
**Author's Notes:** So, its a short chapter again, but at least its an update.  
**Jess**: I got two reviews? I feel sooo loved. Which fic is the TJ? I haven't been very active lately. I have to get this finished so I can post it elsewhere and get onto my 100fanfic list  
**jakc**: Dunno if you're this far along, but if you are, love your reviews, yes it was a fancy box, and yes I loved the tooth bit too. I thought it was really cute, stole the idea from somewhere I think...  
**Sammy**: I'm glad that you love it. Hope you'll stick around, despite my not updating in ages...  
**Straycat1**: I hope you don't feel Claire is too OOC. I love that you're sprouting ideas, keep them coming!

* * *

A couple of minutes of awkward silence later, Claire laughed. 'That sly old bugger.' She thought to herself.

Luke was a bit relieved at the sound. 'She doesn't sound that mad,' he thought. 'I might escape with my life yet.' He hadn't heard much from the girls about their dead, older sister but what he had heard was mixed. He had been left with the impression of a fiercely loyal and protective woman.

"I did wonder. Dad was always very protective of his little princess, but I put it down to him trying to replace what he had lost when Ruth and Tess left, and what Jodi lost when her father… Kevin left." She turned to look at Luke. "How long ago?" He looked at her, unsure what she meant. "Did she find out, did they find out?"

"About four years ago."

"How long did it take Tess to…" Luke expected her to say recover, but she didn't. "... to hand over half?"

He looked at her, surprised.

"I might have been gone for seven years, but Tess is still my sister, and she would have seen it as only fair for Jodi to inherit some of her father's property."

"There's more to it than that." Luke had thought that his earlier comment would have cured him of blurting out un-mentionable subjects, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"What do you mean?"

"Tess was having some… financial difficulties." Luke paused, unsure that he should be the one to tell her.

"We always did."

Luke nodded. "Stevie had some savings… She'd been saving up to … Do you know about Rosie?"

"Stevie's daughter. Lives with Michelle."

Luke shook his head. "I'll take that as a yes. Stevie had been saving up to buy a place for her and Rose, and… well, basically, Tess became partners with Stevie here, hoping that this would be the place for her and Rose."

"So, they all own a third?"

"I don't know what it is officially, but that's the way the place is run… with you back, I don't know." He sighed, then regretted it, unsure how she would interpret the sigh. "I'm not some gold-digger."

Claire smiled. "Gold-digger's are usually women anyway!"

* * *

Meg looked in on Bom, finding the small girl sleeping peacefully on her bed. Although she had been upset to find Michelle once more in her room, and had insisted on sleeping with her face toward the wall rather than Michelle, during her sleep she had tossed so she was overlooking her baby sister.

Meg knew it wasn't much, but it was a start. And she would just have to wait until the morning, but things were looking good for the two girls. She wasn't sure what they would do about the hate between these two, the other two times, the new child had been fragile and brand new, and unable to steal toys just yet.

Meg snorted. Life certainly was going to be interesting around this place.

* * *

Tess and Jodi had checked the house, and were contemplating where to go from there when the faint sounds of laughter drifted their way. Thinking that that would be as good a place as any to start, they headed uphill, and were surprised to find Luke and Claire leaning against the fence, talking and laughing.

Tess glanced at Jodi, unsure how the younger woman was reacting to the scene in front of them. She hoped that if she knew how Jodi was taking it, she would know how to take it herself.

Claire stopped laughing, only to pull Jodi into a huge hug. Jodi looked up, startled.

Luke filled her in. "She knows."

Claire snorted, and shook her head. "My life is turning into a soap opera. I have two sisters, each to different mothers, two daughters, each to different father's, one of whom only found out when he was older that his father wasn't actually his father."

"And our cousin who's father was in love with your mother."

"And the fact that Michelle's uncle is five years younger than her and mothered by her mother's least favourite person."

"Plus there's the whole Rosie storyline…" Claire put on her best American accent. "'Tune in again next week, when the women of Drovers' run will, once again, have their lives turned upside down in bizarre, inexplicable and strange storylines.'" There was laughter at the absurd nature of it. "What do we call it?"

"The Daughters of McLeod?"

"Coming soon to an incestuous television screen near you."

"Australia's answer to _Days of Our Lives_."

"We've made our fortune!"

Claire sighed. "Pity no-one would ever watch it though."

Luke just stood there and stared. It appeared lunacy ran in the family. There were worse things to marry into he supposed, fingering the box in his pocket.

* * *

**A/N:** Again, any suggestions for title of chap would be greatly appreciated. 


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Why on earth can I not write chapters longer than 700 words?

**Disclaimer:** I still didn't get them for my birthday...

**Carby and Jill:**Thanks for reviewing, glad you liked it.  
**Jess**: Can't wait to read yours. I don't know that I'll actually write the proposal scene, I think it'll work out better the other way. I'm having real trouble writing at the moment, I think I've lost the flow of this story, which is a bummer, and the characters won't act the way I want them to.  
**Meg and Straycat**: I like the idea of characters in a movie figuring out they'd make a great movie. There's a great story on 7th Heaven thats surrounded by that idea.

* * *

Next morning, Claire sat on the bed in what had once been her father's, and then hers, and now her sister's bedroom. The room was cheerful, and colourful without appearing to be a flamboyant rainbow. The dressing table was covered in the usual paraphernalia, and the mantle piece was covered in a progression of photos- a large framed wedding photo of Nick and Tess, two matching frames with a photo of one-year-old Charlotte and a recent one of David and Charlotte. There were photos of the group at Kate and Dave's wedding, of muddy men after some escapade.

Something caught Claire's eye. Hidden in behind the photo of her, Alex and Charlotte soon after Bom's birth, was the photo. The photo she had hugged at night after Ruth took Tess. The photo she had almost burned in anger when her prayers went unanswered.

She remembered the first night she had slept in this room. She had moved the pillows in an attempt of defiance to the revered room, and found his handkerchief. The smell of his tobacco, sweat and horses reached her nose and she broke down for the first time since Jack had died. Claire remembered how she had retreated to the seat in the corner, and gazed at the photo she had clung to as a child. Twice had her life had been turned upside down by her baby sister. Now it was Claire who was upturning her sister's life.

She hadn't thought past turning up. She hadn't fantasised about falling into Alex's arms, and having a whirlwind romance, ending at the alter as soon as humanly (and legally) possible. Meg's words the previous night had stirred something inside her that she had squashed a long time ago. The part of her that had once played mummies and daddies arose, unbidden. She knew the realities these days- knew what it was like to raise a child from birth to adolescence. She knew that there was heartache, sleepless nights and crying that lasted for hours for no foreseeable reason.

As clique as her head told her heart it was, her heart still wanted the picket fence, and the dog, and the perfectly cooked meal waiting for her husband when he arrived home from a long hard day at the office. She had had offers, of course. She was a fiery woman, smart and attractive, and Natalie had definitely dressed to the nines. But each time her heart and head had come to the same conclusion- he wasn't Alex, ergo he wasn't right. Oh, and there was the small matter of her daughter to consider. Why expose her daughter to the heartache she herself had felt when Ruth and Tess left?

Claire sighed, annoyed. She didn't know how this would all work. It wasn't simple any longer. No longer was it just the two of them. Now there were two innocent, impressionable girls who had been added into the mix. She just wished she could damn all the consequences and go for it.

* * *

Alex arrived, not exactly bright eyed and bushy tailed. After getting home at some un-Godly hour, he had tossed and turned, finally falling into a brief, unrestful sleep before awaking with the dawn.

Sitting in the ute, he was unsure of where he fit in this new, rearranged household. Before, he had happily walked through one door or another, and been promptly pummelled by an energetic child who wouldn't have had more effect on him than a feather were it not for his acting. He was unsure now what to expect, the girl having stated in no uncertain terms that she hated him.

The talk with Dave the previous night had also given him a lot to think about. For someone who worked mainly with animals, the man had immense insight. Alex was worried about how this would work. He knew it wasn't very sensible or mature, but he had an overwhelming desire to say damn the consequences, and claim her as his own. In the most romantic way possible, of course.

He opened the door, heading once again for the stables. During his tossing and turning he had come to the conclusion that to solve this mess, some bonding would be needed between himself and Lottie. He needed to convince her that although Michelle and Claire were both there, he hadn't stopped loving her. That no-one could ever replace her in his heart and life.

And what better way than by taking her out on the pony he had bought her, that he had taught her to ride on, and that she adored.

* * *

**A/N:** Why oh why are Claire and Alex still not having that talk they really, really, REALLY need to have? 


	22. The Talking

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO- DAMN THE CONCEQUENCES

**Disclaimer:** So, not mine, despite what you might think. The show would have ended on a high note if it was, rather than going on through this "OMG! I'm Jack McLeod's Daughter", "No, I am!" nonsense. (Although having Rose be Jack's daughter would DEFINATELY make it interesting).  
**A/N:** So I have finally gotten Alex and Claire to talk. I've only been trying for about the last ten chapters. I think this should be wrapped up in the next five chapters or so. Fingers crossed!

**Jillaroo**: As far as BOM not hating them, I think that should resolve itself, I don't think she's one to hold grudges... plus that makes it easier to write  
**Meg**: Coming to a head is not my speciality but here you go, how's this?  
**Jess**: What happened to your login? I have to think about re-doing some of Letters, I don't like some of the earlier chapters any longer. They might get to bond in the next chapter... you never know! Love you too hon.

* * *

Claire first met Black Beauty that morning, when Michelle dragged her down to feed the pony, despite Claire's assurances that she would have had breakfast already, and probably wouldn't really like vegemite on toast.

"Mummy, can I have a pony? It can live here with Blackie." Claire was startled, this was the first indication of any long term plan.

"What makes you think we're going to stay here?"

"Well, you told me when I was scared that you'd never leave me behind, that you loved me and you wouldn't let anything happen to me. You feel the same way about Charlotte too don't you Mummy?" Michelle stared up at her with those intelligent eyes. "She's your daughter too."

"Its not that simple sweetheart." Claire didn't know how else to explain it to the girl.

"Well, make it simple Mummy." Michelle looked up at her, full of confidence in her indestructible mother.

Perhaps that was the best piece of advice anyone had ever given her.

* * *

Alex was there with Luke when they arrived, the two of them mucking out stalls and chatting about this, that and the other. Claire had wanted more time, thought she should think things through, obsess over them for a few hours, but here was fate, holding out to her the chance on a silver platter. The spirit that had forced her to leave her place in the finals of the rodeo and rescue Becky that fateful day, reared its ugly head once more. She sent the younger of her daughter's back to the house with Luke to watch the milking of Cher, Madonna's successor.

"We need to talk." Claire told Alex, in no uncertain terms once they were alone.

"Can it wait? I was just about to tack up Blackie and take Bom for a ride and hopefully bridge some of the gap that sprung up between us last night."

"No." Claire was startled by the resolve in her own voice. "You and I, we have a habit of skirting around the details. Of avoiding uncomfortable conversations, of not saying what needed to be said in the moment it is needed. And as I said to Harry, I've missed out on so much in the last six years that I'm not willing to miss anything more."

"Claire, no-one would like to say damn the consequences more than me, but we just can't."

"Why not?" Claire didn't care that she sounded more like her daughter than herself, or that she was whining in the most immature fashion. She'd just decided that she'd convince herself to make it happen, to make up for lost time, but Alex just didn't seem to be getting that.

"Because it's been six years. What if we've changed? Do I even know you anymore? Do you know me? Do you even know yourself? Are you Claire or are you Natalie? Are you Australian or American now? Do you still want to run your own stud? Can we afford it?" His mouth was working overtime, a great feat for a man of few words. "And its not just you and I anymore. There's Michelle and Charlotte to consider. And is her name even Michelle? Or is that just an alias?"

Claire was floored. She'd thought some of this through, briefly but in no major detail. "You were willing to take Bom on six years ago, and you're going to have Michelle as a part of your life anyway. By the way, legally that is her name, but we do have to do some paperwork to do with registering her birth properly. Most people in Witness never go back to their lives, but under the circumstances, they felt it was safe for me to return, which means safe for the birth to be registered.

"As to the other stuff, I'm not sure. I've always had a little bit of Claire in me, and I think that even while I was growing up I had some of Natalie. I haven't had much time for dreaming these past years, I've been too busy watching my back, and hoping against hope that we wouldn't have to do another mid-night rush. I didn't want to explain that to Michelle. She was too young to understand the last time, but she dreams about it on the odd occasion still." Claire sniffed back tears. "Can we at least give it a try? See how it goes, see what the future brings? And if it doesn't work, it doesn't. At least we wouldn't waste any more precious time wondering whether it would have, or waiting for the right time for it to all fall into place at our feet. Because this time is precious, and we won't get it back. I know that. I've regretted every moment we didn't last time."

Alex starred off into space for a long time. So long she wondered whether he'd suddenly relearned his childhood trick of sleeping with his eyes open. "Can we not tell the girls yet?" He asked finally. "At least not until we're more certain that this is gonna be worthwhile. I don't want to get their hopes up and then dash them."

Claire saw the logic in his argument, but wasn't entirely certain he had the right end of the stick. However, she couldn't see another way forward, and realised that he wouldn't back down from his stance. "Okay. Let's throw caution to the wind, and see what the future brings."

* * *

**A/N:** R&R as usual. 


End file.
